Sameer Wankhede Denies Seeking Bribe from Shah Rukh Khan in Aryan Khan Case The legal proceedings in the high-profile cruise drugs case involving Aryan Khan took a new turn as Sameer Wankhede, a former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer, appeared before the Bombay High Court. Wankhede testified that he never demanded or accepted a bribe from Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan to avoid implicating Aryan Khan in the 2021 incident. The case, which has drawn significant public and media attention, centers on allegations of corruption and bribery against Wankhede and others. During the hearing, Wankhede’s counsel, Aabad Ponda, argued that the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) FIR against Wankhede is based on fabricated claims. Ponda emphasized that there is no evidence to support the accusation that Wankhede sought a Rs 25 crore bribe from Shah Rukh Khan. The plea filed by Wankhede seeks to quash the FIR registered by the CBI in May 2023, which alleges that he and others demanded a bribe to shield Aryan Khan from legal consequences. The CBI’s FIR, filed on May 11, 2023, claims that Wankhede, along with former NCB SP Vishwa Vijay Singh and others, demanded Rs 25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan in exchange for not implicating Aryan Khan. The alleged amount was later reduced to Rs 18 crore, according to the agency. However, Wankhede’s defense team contested these claims, asserting that the raid on the Cordelia cruise ship was conducted lawfully based on a tip-off and followed proper legal procedures. Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3, 2021, following the controversial raid off the Mumbai coast. A Special Investigation Team (SIT) later cleared him of involvement in a larger drug trafficking conspiracy, issuing a clean chit on May 27, 2022.#cbi #shah_rukh_khan #sameer_wankhede #aryan_khan #ncb
Sameer Wankhede Claims No Bribe Demanded in Aryan Khan Case Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede testified before the Bombay High Court on March 23, 2026, asserting that he did not solicit a bribe from actor Shah Rukh Khan in connection with the 2021 Cordelia cruise ship drug case involving his son, Aryan Khan. The statement was made during a hearing on Wankhede’s petition to quash a First Information Report (FIR) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against him and four others. Wankhede’s counsel, senior advocate Aabad Ponda, argued that there was no demand for a bribe, no receipt of money, and no evidence of payment to Wankhede. Ponda noted that while some individuals were allegedly involved in financial transactions, they were not linked to his client. “The case is that somebody else has taken money,” Ponda stated, emphasizing the need for the CBI to present material evidence. The court had previously instructed the CBI to provide proof to support the FIR allegations. The FIR, which accuses Wankhede and others of demanding ₹25 crore as a bribe, was based on a report by a Special Enquiry Team (SET) established to investigate procedural lapses by NCB officials. Wankhede has claimed the SET suppressed evidence to exonerate Aryan Khan, arguing the FIR was motivated by a desire to shield him. He seeks the case to be dismissed, citing the SET’s alleged bias. The High Court had granted interim protection from arrest to Wankhede in 2025, allowing the CBI to file a chargesheet after court approval. Aryan Khan was granted bail in October 2021, nearly a month after the NCB raid, with a separate investigation team not naming him due to insufficient evidence.#central_bureau_of_investigation #bombay_high_court #shah_rukh_khan #sameer_wankhede #aryan_khan
