Sameer Wankhede, an officer of the Indian Revenue Service and a former director of the Mumbai zonal unit of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), who is facing corruption charges, has presented WhatsApp exchanges he allegedly had with Shah Rukh Khan in an effort to illustrate his innocence. Wankhede is accused of demanding Rs 25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan to not name Aryan Khan in the 2021 cruise ship drug case.
During a narcotics operation in 2021 that Sameer Wankhede oversaw, the NCB apprehended the Bollywood superstar’s son Aryan Khan, along with many others, and indicted him with drug possession, consumption and trafficking.
However, Aryan Khan was granted bail by the Bombay High Court and was released after spending 22 days in jail. It was later revealed that no drug was found on him, and later NCB gave him a clean chit due to lack of sufficient evidence.
Wankhede faced several allegations of irregularities and corruption during his tenure at NCB, following which he was transferred and an internal inquiry was ordered for a few of his controversial cases. The NCB’s SIT (Special Investigation Team) had re-examined the Aryan Khan case, and gave clean chits to 6 out of the 14 accused, including Aryan Khan.
Last week the CBI filed a case against Sameer Wankhede, accusing him of demanding Rs 25 crore bribe in exchange of not naming Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan in the drug case. The CBI further alleged that Wankhede, two former NCB officials, and some private workers had already collected Rs 50 lakh of the demanded Rs 25 crore bribe.
In a plea he submitted to a court in response to the lawsuit brought against him, he included a series of communications he said he exchanged with Shah Rukh Khan.
Sameer Wankhede submitted a petition arguing his innocence in response to the accusations made against him. It comprises attachments that appear to be screenshots of text messages and interestingly Shah Rukh Khan’s name is written at the top of the screenshots.
“Get your guys to go slow for God’s sake. I swear I will stand by you at all times to come and assist you with what all you are trying to achieve good. It’s a man’s promise and you know me enough to know I am good for it. I beg you to please have mercy on me and my family,” the celebrity allegedly begged the ex-NCB director.
He allegedly said that his son doesn’t deserve to be incarcerated like a seasoned felon, in the chats produced by the officer. “We are a simple set of people and my son has been a bit wayward, but he doesn’t deserve to be in jail like a hardened criminal. You also know that. Please have a heart man, please I beg you,” said the chat allegedly sent by the Shah Rukh Khan.
The pictures appear to show Shah Rukh Khan reportedly pleading with Sameer Wankhede, the NCB Mumbai Zonal director at the time, to prevent Aryan Khan from being imprisoned since it would wreak his spirit. “I beg you, man, please don’t let him be in that jail. He will break as a human being. His spirit will be destroyed because of some vested people. You promised you will reform my child not put him in a place where he may come out completely battered and broken,” the message said.
He even allegedly pledged to always remain indebted to Sameer Wankhede. “If in any way without losing your integrity as an officer of the law, you can help in whatever manner possible, please. I will always be indebted.”
The Pathaan actor also allegedly assured him of every possible assistance on behalf of his son Aryan Khan. “I don’t know the technicalities but if the department in charge feels all is ok and to your satisfaction. If then your authority furnishes a short reply with whatever conditions your team may have. I promise you whatever cooperation you would need from him will be done to the best of his abilities.”
“Just please consider this request favourably it will be a huge favour because the family just wants him home, and not get stamped with having been a convict in a notorious prison. It will really help with his future and that’s why I am making this, beyond reasonable request as a father. I hope you consider it please, for his sake,” the messages say.
Shah Rukh Khan also allegedly urged him to be gentle with his son and affirmed never to create any hindrance for the officer. The screenshots of the alleged messages say, “Please tell them to go easy man and let me get my son home. Please. There is nothing more I can say or do but beg you. You have noticed my behaviour through all this. You know I would never stand by anything against what you are doing. I believed it when you said you are thinking of Aryan as your own and want to make him a better person.”
“I haven’t done anything to not help my son get that reformation. I haven’t been in the press. I haven’t made a statement. I have just believed in your goodness. Please please don’t let me down as a father,” the message adds.
The actor allegedly added that the officer shouldn’t subject his son to such treatment because of certain self-centred people, but he didn’t identify them. “As a good man, why would you subject him to this for some selfish people doing what they are doing? I promise you I will go to them and beg them to not say another word in front of you. Will use everything in my power to make sure they listen and retract whatever they have said.”
“I promise you I will do all of it and won’t shirk away from begging them to stop. But please send my son home. You also know in your heart it’s been a bit too harsh for him by now. Please please I beg you as a father,” SRK repeatedly reiterated, as claimed by the screenshots.