Aryan Khan arrest case: Bombay HC questions Sameer Wankhede over leaked WhatsApp chats with SRK
The court asked whether Wankhede, who is accused of attempting to extort Rs 25 crore from SRK leaked the conversation.
- May 22, 2023,
- Updated May 22, 2023 8:38 PM IST
After the alleged leak of WhatsApp chats between Shah Rukh Khan and former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede, the Bombay High Court on Monday hauled up Wankhede and asked whether he was behind the media leak of chats.
The court inquired as to whether Wankhede, who is accused of attempting to extort Rs 25 crore from SRK, leaked the conversation. To which, Advocate Ponda, who was representing the former NCB officer, said, "It was part of the petition. I didn't circulate."
While defending Wankhede, Advocate Panda said that he is an "upright officer" who stated that chats were shown to prove that Wankhede did not demand anything from SRK.
On May 19, WhatsApp chats between former Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan over the arrest of his son Aryan Khan were leaked.
As per screenshots, Shah Rukh Khan was seen requesting Sameer Wankhede, who was the NCB Mumbai Zonal director at the time, to somehow keep Aryan away from jail as it would "destroy his spirit".
Aryan Khan was arrested by the NCB on October 3, 2021 after a raid on the Cordelia cruise ship. He was granted bail by the Bombay High Court after three weeks as the anti-drug agency failed to substantiate its charges against him. The CBI booked Wankhede and others for alleged criminal conspiracy and threat of extortion, besides under provisions pertaining to bribery under the Prevention of Corruption Act on a complaint by the NCB.
Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court on Monday extended till June 8 the interim protection granted to former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede.
Last Friday, the HC had directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to take any coercive action against the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer till May 22.
The bench also directed Wankhede to give an undertaking that he will not talk to the media about the case, appear before the CBI as and when called, and not tamper with evidence.
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After the alleged leak of WhatsApp chats between Shah Rukh Khan and former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede, the Bombay High Court on Monday hauled up Wankhede and asked whether he was behind the media leak of chats.
The court inquired as to whether Wankhede, who is accused of attempting to extort Rs 25 crore from SRK, leaked the conversation. To which, Advocate Ponda, who was representing the former NCB officer, said, "It was part of the petition. I didn't circulate."
While defending Wankhede, Advocate Panda said that he is an "upright officer" who stated that chats were shown to prove that Wankhede did not demand anything from SRK.
On May 19, WhatsApp chats between former Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan over the arrest of his son Aryan Khan were leaked.
As per screenshots, Shah Rukh Khan was seen requesting Sameer Wankhede, who was the NCB Mumbai Zonal director at the time, to somehow keep Aryan away from jail as it would "destroy his spirit".
Aryan Khan was arrested by the NCB on October 3, 2021 after a raid on the Cordelia cruise ship. He was granted bail by the Bombay High Court after three weeks as the anti-drug agency failed to substantiate its charges against him. The CBI booked Wankhede and others for alleged criminal conspiracy and threat of extortion, besides under provisions pertaining to bribery under the Prevention of Corruption Act on a complaint by the NCB.
Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court on Monday extended till June 8 the interim protection granted to former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede.
Last Friday, the HC had directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) not to take any coercive action against the Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer till May 22.
The bench also directed Wankhede to give an undertaking that he will not talk to the media about the case, appear before the CBI as and when called, and not tamper with evidence.
Also Read: Rs 2,000 note withdrawal: RBI Governor Shaktikanta Das urges customers to not rush to banks
Watch: Tata Altroz iCNG launched in India at Rs 7.55 lakh: Check features, variants, and other details