Sameer Wankhede, a former officer in Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) currently under investigation for extortion and bribery, has testified in the Bombay High Court (HC) accusing a special enquiry team (SET) of attempting to clear Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, in a high-profile drug bust case.
Wankhede made these allegations during a hearing to overturn a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR filed against him. He claimed that Aryan Khan and his friend, Arbaaz Merchant, were added to the case at the last minute by the SET, which aimed to clear Aryan of all charges and defend their decision. According to Wankhede, Khan was made a scapegoat in this case.
On the other hand, the CBI is pushing for the revocation of the temporary protection granted to Wankhede and denying his request to quash the FIR. The CBI contends that Wankhede's actions, including the alleged extortion and bribery, warrant further investigation. The high court has scheduled a hearing on June 23 to consider the matter further.
Addressing the accusations against him, Wankhede denied claims that no records of Aryan's phone confiscation were kept. He also dismissed the SET's inspection as pointless and solely aimed at clearing Aryan of any wrongdoing. Wankhede emphasised that due process was followed when Aryan handed over his phone.
Moreover, Wankhede defended himself against the allegations by stating that his family had funded his travels and the purchase of a watch. He believes that these accusations are an attempt to defame him. Wankhede also claimed that the SET's enquiry violated the Prevention of Corruption Act and argued that the conclusions drawn by the team were intended to harass honest NCB officers.
During his testimony, Wankhede mentioned the existence of a memo containing ten names, including Aryan Khan and others. He expressed his difficulty in monitoring the activities of witnesses and alleged that a selfie was taken without his permission, which had later complicated the proceedings.
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