In a turn of events in the 2021 Cordelia cruise ship drugs case, an ‘independent witness’ alleged in 2021 that an NCB official, along with others, including witness Gosavi, sought a bribe of Rs 25 crore to absolve Bollywood Superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan. Following an NCB internal vigilance probe, the CBI registered an FIR against Wankhede.
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) assured the Bombay High Court on Thursday that it would refrain from arresting former Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director and Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sameer Wankhede in a money laundering case until February 20. The court, acknowledging the need for a thorough hearing, scheduled the matter accordingly and sought confirmation from the ED counsel, who confirmed the commitment not to arrest Wankhede until the specified date.
The Bombay High Court has scheduled February 20 for further hearings into the matter concerning Sameer Wankhede, who has sought the quashing of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) case against him. Wankhede, former Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director, also requested interim protection from coercive action. He argues that the ED’s case against him is driven by malice and vendetta. Additionally, he seeks a stay on the ED probe until his plea against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case is resolved by the court.
The ED initiated a money laundering case against Wankhede based on a CBI FIR, alleging that he demanded a Rs 25 crore bribe from Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s family to spare his son, Aryan Khan, in the 2021 Cordelia cruise ship drugs case. Similarly, the CBI registered a case against Wankhede for the same allegation.
In the Cordelia cruise ship drugs case, Aryan Khan, son of Shahrukh Khan, was arrested in October 2021. Although a chargesheet was filed against 14 accused by the NCB, Aryan Khan was cleared of charges. The case took a turn when an ‘independent witness’ claimed that an NCB official and others demanded a bribe to release Aryan Khan. This led to an internal vigilance probe by the NCB against Wankhede and others, eventually prompting the CBI to register a case against him.
