Mumbai: In a relief to former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede, a vacation bench of Bombay HC restrained the CBI from taking any “coercive action” till May 22.

Wankhede submitted before the court on Friday text messages sent to him by Shah Rukh Khan and his replies, and said that “nowhere it suggests” that a money demand was made to favour the actor’s son Aryan after his arrest following the October 2021 Cordelia cruise drug bust, reports Swati Deshpande.

Wankhede claimed Khan praised his integrity and also expressed “anguish” over “political involvement in the matter”.

The IRS officer added that it was always Shah Rukh who initiated the conversation. Wankhede also stated that one of the messages received from Shah Rukh said “if in any way, without losing your integrity as an officer of law, you can help with whatever manner possible please. I will always be indebted...”

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Mumbai: A vacation bench of Bombay HC on Friday granted former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede relief after he gave an undertaking that he’ll remain present at the CBI office on Saturday at 11am. HC restrained CBI from taking any “coercive action” till May 22.

CBI has filed an FIR against Wankhede along with NCB officers — Ashish Ranjan and dismissed superintendent Vishwa Vijay Singh—and two private persons for allegedly seeking Rs 25-crore bribe for not implicating Aryan in the cruise drug bust case. Wankhede denied allegations of demanding money in exchange for Aryan’s release as “blatantly false”, and claimed and cited messages sent by Shah Rukh between October 3 and 15, 2021, when his son was in custody. “At no point of time has the petitioner initiated any conversation with Shah Rukh in connection with this case,” Wankhede’s plea said.

He said Aryan, during the bail hearing in HC, had denied any connection with claims against the petitioner on social media and had acknowledged that he had no allegations against anyone in the prosecution. “Aryan also confirmed that he has no connection with Prabhakar Sail,” the plea stated.

Sail was a witness in the cruise drug bust case and had filed an affidavit mentioning the money demand. He died last year.

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On October 3, 2021, SRK sent a message to Wankhede, expressing a desire to speak to him, despite acknowledging that it may be officially inappropriate and wrong. The message read, "Sameer sahib, may I speak with you for a minute, please? Regards, Shah Rukh Khan. I know this is officially inappropriate and maybe outright wrong, but once as a father, if I can speak with you, please. Love, SRK."

Wankhede subsequently spoke to SRK over the phone, and SRK sent a message expressing gratitude for the personal insights and thoughts shared during their conversation. "Can't thank you enough for all the thoughts and personal insights you gave me about my own. I will make sure that he turns out to be someone that you and I are both proud of. This incident will prove to be a turning point in his life I promise, in a good way. This country needs honest and hardworking young people to take it forward," SRK said in his message to Wankhede.

“God bless you. I have to come personally whenever you say and give a hug to you. Let me please know whenever it's convenient for you. Really I have always had the highest regard for your uprightness and now it has increased manifolds. Big respect. Love SRK," the message reads further

He further told Wankhede, "please show some kindness my man and I can only plead and beg you as father."

“Dear Shahrukh I wish I could talk to you as friend and explain you about the current situation and not as a zonal director, all the murk and unscrupulous elements are vitiating the entire atmosphere. I wanted to look towards the kids in a reformatory approach and provide an opportunity for best living and national service. But unfortunately my attempt is being maligned by the some dirty perosn and with malafide and vested interests," (SIC) Wankhede told SRK in the message.

“But my son is not part of that please. You also know that. You know his part is minuscule in it. All he needs is reformation and for that he has had his quota and I will also follow suit with what we talked in terms of making him a better person. Please man, I beg you there is nothing from my side that is participant in the vested interests. I went out of my way and without even knowing them called and begged them not to involve my child in their politics. The people here and also the person in the North. I spoke as a father to them and even chided them that they are harming my kid in their selfish interests. Please man, don't make him pay for these assholes and vested people. I beg you man please. It's a larger thing, my son and my family, I swear, play no part in it. I have even refrained from talking to anyone and even told all these foolish people not to speak on my behalf. When we speak I will tell you what I have done in my capacity not to hurt your drive to be upright. I swear man. Please I beg you," SRK responded to Wankhede.