Drugs probe: Zameer sees plot to finish his political career

Congress legislator B Z Zameer Ahmed Khan on Monday said there was a conspiracy to finish off his political career, by dragging him into the drug racket being probed by the Bengaluru police.

Khan has been accused of visiting a casino in Colombo along with actor Sanjjanaa Galrani, who is currently in police custody in connection with the probe into the drugs racket. Photographs of Khan with one Shaik Fazil, who is linked with the casino, have since emerged.

Speaking to reporters, Khan said he knew Fazil four years ago. “I never said I didn’t know him,” he said. Asked about photos of him with Fazil during Umrah, Khan said, “I go to Umrah every year. Thousands of people from Karnataka also come there and they take pictures with me. Does that make me complicit in somebody’s activities? If Fazil is involved, let him be hanged. If I’m involved, let me be hanged.”

Taking a dig at Khan, Tourism Minister C T Ravi asked the Congress leader to come clean about his links with Fazil. “We don’t have any political benefit in attacking Khan, but at a time like this, when there is suspicion, he must clarify,” Ravi said.

The minister also took a dig at Khan for vowing to hand over his assets to the government if he was found to be involved in the drug racket.

“He had said he’d work as a watchman outside the house of B S Yediyurappa if he became the chief minister. It’s been a year now and the post of watchman is vacant,” Ravi said.

HDK slams Zameer

Khan said he visited Colombo several times, including once with JD(S) leader H D Kumaraswamy, when he was with the regional party. An irked Kumaraswamy has hit out at Khan for mentioning about the 2014 visit to Colombo.

“Several MLAs and party workers went to Colombo in 2014 to discuss party affairs. The matter is six years old and has nothing to do with this drug case,” Kumaraswamy said.