Aryan Khan case: CBI likely to summon Sameer Wankhede to join probe

New Delhi, May 12 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said that they have registered a case against the then Mumbai zonal chief of NCB, Sameer Wankhede, and four others for allegedly demanding Rs 25 crore bribe from the family of Aryan Khan, the son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, in the alleged drugs-on-cruise case.

The case has also been lodged against Vishwa Vijay Singh, the then Superintendent, NCB; Ashish Ranjan, the then Intelligence Officer; two private persons KP Gosavi and Sanbile D'Souza and unknown others.

The CBI officials on condition of anonymity said that Rs 50 lakh was even paid by Khan's family to save him in the drug case. He said that in coming days, they will summon Wankhede to join the probe and get his statement recorded.

The CBI said that the instant case was registered under Prevention of Corruption Act and relevant Sections of the IPC following a complaint from Narcotics Control Bureau's Vigilance Department.

The CBI official said that the officials of the NCB (Mumbai Zone), in order to obtain undue advantage from few persons in a drug case entered into criminal conspiracy and had allegedly obtained undue advantage in the form of bribes from the alleged accused.

An information was received in the Mumbai Zone of NCB during October, 2021 related to consumption and possession of narcotics substances by various individuals on Cordelia cruise.

Aryan Khan was on board Cordelia cruise, when the NCB officials conducted raids.

The NCB officials allegedly entered into conspiracy in order to extort an amount of Rs 25 crore from the family members of Aryan Khan by threatening them of the accusation of offences of possession of narcotics substances, as per the alleged directions of Wankhede.

The CBI official said that a token amount of Rs 50 lakh as bribe was allegedly obtained in furtherance of this conspiracy by the said persons.

The official said that searches were being conducted at 29 locations across Mumbai, Delhi, Ranchi, Lucknow, Chennai and Guwahati. During the searches, a number of incriminating documents, cash have been seized. In Mumbai, raids are on in Andheri and others premises of Wankhede.

IANS made several attempts to reach out to Wankhede, who is currently posted in Chennai's Income Tax department, for his comments on the matter, but he was not available.

Further investigation in the matter is on.