'I will touch my forehead on his feet'- Kashiff Khan, FTV India Head

FashionTV India has recently come under the scanner after the Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik claimed that the MD of FashionTV India Kashiff Khan was involved in the Mumbai cruise drug bust.

Kashiff Khan reacted to the minister's claims against him and said, "I am shocked and amused after hearing the allegations made by the respectable minister. I am surprised that these statements are coming from such a highly respected and powerful figure in this country. With due respect, but what Nawab Malik is saying is completely wrong. He is being misinformed and misled by whoever is giving him this information. I think he has misunderstood or mistaken me for someone else because it is not me."

He further added, "I request him to look into the facts of the matter correctly. In the past, I have never been associated with any kind of drugs, substances or pornography racket. I have a clean record so far and people who know me also know that I don't smoke, forget taking drugs on a cruise. So, these baseless allegations make no sense and if they can prove that I was related to any of the non-approved substances, drugs or contraband- I will go and touch my forehead on the honourable minister's feet."

On responding to Nawab Malik's allegation that the NCB never frisked him and let him go during the drug raid at the cruise event, Kashiff Khan blatantly said, "It is a completely wrong allegation. As a normal norm, the NCB and their security team were frisking and checking everyone present on the cruise. I was also frisked and security checked and given clearance after which I boarded the ship. I went on that ship because I was told that the ship was legal and it was given the approval and allowance to sail and hence, we went on board the cruise."Kashiff Khan also denied having any connection with Sameer Wankhede. Dismissing the 'bizarre' allegations pinned against him, he said, "I don't know Sameer Wankhede even distantly. I have never even spoken to him on call, text nor met him in person ever in my life through any events or at a public place. I have never come across him to date, let alone be friends. I only know him as the NCB officer and from what I have read about him on the news. This just shows how powerful, respectable, elected people can make any statement a piece of sensational news"

On allegations that have been hurled against him of running a drug and pornography racket, Khan further said, "You can check with anybody. I head India operations and business for the corporate entity and work as the India head of Fashion TV."

When questioned if he expects a statement of apology from Nawab Malik and would sue him based on defamation, he replied saying, "No, I do not want nor do I expect any apology statement from him. He is a very powerful and highly-regarded minister and the media loves him and writes about whatever he says. I don't want to waste my time on this, I would rather put my efforts and energy into something fruitful and positive." He added, "I am just very surprised that he has dragged me into this wrongly. I wouldn't put him in a position as such where I would expect an apology from him or consider suing him for a defamation case because he is a big person who is well-educated and experienced. With due respect to him, I have no intention to do anything against him as I am not interested in getting myself involved in any kind of revenge politics."