The interim protection granted to the former Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede in Rs 25 Crore extortion case has been extended by the Bombay High Court in the case pertaining to the arrest of Aryan Khan in the 2021 Cruise Ship Drugs matter.
The bench comprising of Justice Abhay Ahuja and Justice MM Sathaye have
extended its May 19 order asking CBI not to take any coercive steps against Wankhede, subject to his not publishing any material by way of WhatsApp chats or giving any press statement on the subject matter of petition or investigation.
The direction was made after Wankhede cited his alleged chats with actor Shah Rukh Khan, Aryan Khan’s father, to counter the allegation of extortion against him in CBI’s FIR. He contended that Khan praised his integrity which would not have been the case had he actually made monetary demands to release Aryan Khan.“You are before the court. When the matter is sub-judice, why have you circulated WhatsApp chats?”, the court asked.
The High Court has also directed Wankhede to cooperate in the investigation. The matter is now listed on June 8. Meanwhile, CBI has been directed to file a reply by 3rd June.
Wankhede, currently an IRS Officer, has approached the High Court challenging the FIR registered against him and five others by the CBI.
The agency has accused them of demanding a bribe of Rs 25 crore from family members of those arrested in the 2021 Cordelia Cruise Ship Case, including actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan.
Senior Advocate Aabad Ponda for Wankhede explained that the chats were part of the petition and submitted that Wankhede will not communicate with the media from now on.Special Public Prosecutor Kuldeep Patil for CBI objected to continuation of interim relief against arrest.
He submitted an affidavit stating that the sanction under section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act was within 21 days.“Their contention was that the approval regarding the sanction to prosecute him (17A) was not granted within 4 months. But now the affidavit clarifies the sanction was granted within 21 days”, Patil submitted.Patil said that the complaint is just from May 11, 2023.
However, Ponda stated that the issue is under investigation since October 25, 2021. The entire enquiry, which is the basis for the FIR, is illegal as there was no sanction under section 17A before the enquiry that he argued.