Aryan Khan case: Sameer Wankhede opens up about bribe from SRK
According to the FIR, Wankhede allegedly sought ₹25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan in return for giving Aryan Khan a clean chit.
- Mar 23, 2026,
- Updated Mar 23, 2026 5:09 PM IST
Sameer Wankhede, former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director, has told the Bombay High Court that he never demanded or accepted any bribe from actor Shah Rukh Khan in connection with the arrest of his son, Aryan Khan, in the 2021 cruise drugs case, news agency PTI reported on Monday.
Appearing for Wankhede, senior advocate Aabad Ponda argued before a bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Suman Shyam that the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer had no role in any alleged bribery demand.
The submission came during the hearing of Wankhede’s plea seeking to quash a First Information Report (FIR) filed against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in May 2023 on corruption and bribery charges.
Ponda told the court that Wankhede "never demanded or took a bribe from Shah Rukh Khan," contesting the allegations laid out in the CBI’s FIR.
According to the FIR, Wankhede and the other accused had allegedly demanded ₹25 crore from the actor in exchange for giving a clean chit to Aryan Khan in the drugs case. However, the defence maintained that there is no material on record to substantiate the claim.
Ponda argued that the CBI has failed to produce any evidence to show that Wankhede either sought or received a bribe.
The court was also told that the NCB had acted on a tip-off regarding alleged drug use aboard the Cordelia cruise ship. A search operation was conducted in accordance with the law, following which several individuals, including Aryan Khan, were arrested.
The High Court said it would continue hearing the matter on Tuesday.
The case against Wankhede stems from allegations of criminal conspiracy under Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, threat of extortion under Section 388 IPC, and bribery charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The CBI registered the case based on a complaint from the NCB.
Aryan Khan was arrested on October 2, 2021, following the cruise ship raid. In its subsequent charge sheet, the NCB named 14 accused but did not include Aryan Khan, effectively giving him a clean chit.
The case took a turn later in 2021 when an ‘independent witness’ alleged that NCB officials and others, including a witness, had demanded ₹25 crore to let Aryan Khan off.
Following these claims, the NCB initiated an internal vigilance inquiry into the conduct of Wankhede and other officials. The findings were later shared with the CBI, which led to the registration of the FIR.
Based on the CBI’s case, the Enforcement Directorate also filed a separate case against Wankhede, accusing him of money laundering.
(With inputs from PTI)
Sameer Wankhede, former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director, has told the Bombay High Court that he never demanded or accepted any bribe from actor Shah Rukh Khan in connection with the arrest of his son, Aryan Khan, in the 2021 cruise drugs case, news agency PTI reported on Monday.
Appearing for Wankhede, senior advocate Aabad Ponda argued before a bench of Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Suman Shyam that the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer had no role in any alleged bribery demand.
The submission came during the hearing of Wankhede’s plea seeking to quash a First Information Report (FIR) filed against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in May 2023 on corruption and bribery charges.
Ponda told the court that Wankhede "never demanded or took a bribe from Shah Rukh Khan," contesting the allegations laid out in the CBI’s FIR.
According to the FIR, Wankhede and the other accused had allegedly demanded ₹25 crore from the actor in exchange for giving a clean chit to Aryan Khan in the drugs case. However, the defence maintained that there is no material on record to substantiate the claim.
Ponda argued that the CBI has failed to produce any evidence to show that Wankhede either sought or received a bribe.
The court was also told that the NCB had acted on a tip-off regarding alleged drug use aboard the Cordelia cruise ship. A search operation was conducted in accordance with the law, following which several individuals, including Aryan Khan, were arrested.
The High Court said it would continue hearing the matter on Tuesday.
The case against Wankhede stems from allegations of criminal conspiracy under Section 120-B of the Indian Penal Code, threat of extortion under Section 388 IPC, and bribery charges under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The CBI registered the case based on a complaint from the NCB.
Aryan Khan was arrested on October 2, 2021, following the cruise ship raid. In its subsequent charge sheet, the NCB named 14 accused but did not include Aryan Khan, effectively giving him a clean chit.
The case took a turn later in 2021 when an ‘independent witness’ alleged that NCB officials and others, including a witness, had demanded ₹25 crore to let Aryan Khan off.
Following these claims, the NCB initiated an internal vigilance inquiry into the conduct of Wankhede and other officials. The findings were later shared with the CBI, which led to the registration of the FIR.
Based on the CBI’s case, the Enforcement Directorate also filed a separate case against Wankhede, accusing him of money laundering.
(With inputs from PTI)