Sameer Wankhede denies bribe allegation in Aryan Khan case.
Counsel claims no evidence in CBI investigation.
Aryan Khan was cleared by SIT after the 2021 cruise case.
Sameer Wankhede Denies Bribe Allegation In Aryan Khan Case Before Bombay HC
Sameer Wankhede told the Bombay High Court he never sought a bribe from Shah Rukh Khan in the Aryan Khan case.
Summary
Sameer Wankhede has denied allegations of seeking a bribe from Shah Rukh Khan in connection with the Aryan Khan case, as submissions were made before the Bombay High Court. According to inputs from PTI, it was stated on his behalf that no demand or acceptance of any bribe had taken place during the 2021 cruise drugs case.
The statement was presented by his counsel, Aabad Ponda, while arguing a plea to quash the FIR registered by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in May 2023. It was argued that no evidence had been found by the agency to support claims that a bribe was demanded or received.
What was argued in court
Before a bench led by Chief Justice Shree Chandrashekhar and Justice Suman Shyam, it was submitted that the case had been built without sufficient proof. It was further stated that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) had acted on a tip-off regarding alleged drug consumption on a cruise ship, following which searches were conducted as per procedure and arrests were made.
In the FIR, it had been alleged that a sum of ₹25 crore was demanded from Shah Rukh Khan in exchange for not implicating his son Aryan Khan. It was also claimed that the amount was later reduced to ₹18 crore. The case names several individuals, including former NCB officials and private persons.
Background of Aryan Khan's arrest and probe
Aryan Khan was arrested following a raid on a cruise ship off Mumbai in October 2021. However, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) later cleared him of involvement in any larger drug conspiracy.
It was noted in the NCB’s internal probe that certain procedural lapses had taken place, including issues with documentation and the handling of evidence. It was also observed that Aryan Khan’s name had been added at a later stage in the agency’s records.
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Separately, a money laundering case had been registered by the Enforcement Directorate in 2024 against Wankhede based on the same allegations.
The hearing took place on March 23.
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