MUMBAI: Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede on Friday approached the Bombay High Court against the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) action against him in the alleged bribery case related to the drugs-on-cruise case involving actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan.
Sameer Wankhede will appear before the CBI on Saturday. The Bombay High Court will hear the matter on May 22. Notably, the High Court granted protection from arrest to Wankhede till May 22.
Speaking to the reporters after the hearing, the former NCB officer said, “Vande Mataram. I have full faith in the judiciary and I will cooperate with the investigation.” Wankhede also alleged that some “changes” have been made in the chargesheet that was filed by NCB in the Aryan Khan case.
Wankhede claimed in his petition that the action in the Aryan Khan case is being taken out of “revenge”. He also assured of complete support to CBI. “There was an allegation of corruption against me earlier also and, at that time, the Mumbai police investigated it and did not find any evidence against me. Nothing will be found even on the allegations by CBI”, Wankhded said in the petition.
The former NCB zonal director also attached his chats with actor Shah Rukh Khan in the petition. Wankhede’s lawyer also alleged that Aryan Khan and his father Shah Rukh Khan already informed the court that there is no case of extortion of Rs 25 crore. The lawyer said that Wankhede was not demanding interim bail, but seeking protection from arrest till next week.
The CBI, on the other hand, urged the court to not grant any relief to the formal NCB zonal director. The agency’s lawyer told the court that Wankhede did not appear before the CBI on May 18 despite being summoned.
Earlier on Wednesday, Delhi High Court granted protection from arrest (no coercive action) till May 22 to Sameer Wankhede with the liberty to approach the Bombay High Court for further relief. Wankhede had moved the Delhi High Court and sought cross-FIR claiming that the allegations by CBI against him are “false and misleading”.
The CBI booked Wankhede for allegedly demanding Rs 25 crore as a bribe for not framing Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan in the drugs-on-cruise case. The agency said that the deal was closed for Rs 18 crore adding that the assets of Wankhade were not proportionate to his known sources of income.
The FIR copy said he was not able to justify expenses made during his foreign visit. Other corruption charges against Sameer Wamkhede and other NCB Officials were also in the process.
Wankhede has alleged that he was being punished for being a patriot. His statement came in response to the CBI raids at his residence and other premises on Friday. The CBI recently conducted searches at 29 locations across the country following the alleged corruption case against him and three others linked to the Aryan Khan drugs-on-cruise case.
Wankhede had raided Cordelia Cruise and arrested Actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan in an alleged drug case. (ANI)