An alleged series of conversations between Shahrukh Khan and Former Mumbai Zonal Director of NCB Sameer Wankhede have come to light after the Bollywood superstar’s son, Aryan Khan, was detained in the 2021 drugs-on-cruise case.
The alleged texts between them on messaging platform WhatsApp are part of Wankhede’s appeal to have a CBI FIR against him dismissed.
Wankede has been booked by the CBI for bribery of Rs 25 crores in connection with the Aryan Khan case. The Bombay High Court on Friday granted protection to Wankhede, from coercive action or arrest, by the CBI.
In the purported chats, the Bollywood superstar ‘begged’ the official to go easy on the star kid alleging that it is a larger conspiracy of people with vested interests.
In a report by Free Press Journal, screenshots of the conversations were shared where SRK sent several messages to the officer, which went unanswered, initially.
SRK in his messages to the former zonal director pleaded him to go easy on his son stating that he (Aryan) doesn’t deserve “being in a jail like a hardened criminal“.
SRK also allegedly said that Aryan has learnt his lesson and requested the officer to write out a short reply with whatever conditions his team may have. “I promise you whatever cooperation you would need from him will be done to the best of his abilities‘.
To which Wankede responded stating “Dear Shahrukh I empathise you as a father. Things will be fine.”
While Shahrukh pleaded the official to soften the agency’s approach towards Aryan, Wankhede stated that he is attempting to look toward the kids in a reformatory approach and provide an opportunity for the ‘best living’.
However, Wankhede alleges that “his attempt is being maligned by some dirty persons with malafide and vested interests.”
“But my son is not part of that please,” responds SRK.
Adding, “I went out if my way and without even knowing them called and begged them not to involve my child in their politics.”
Aryan was arrested and spent about a month in jail, was cleared from this case by the NCB last year after the agency’s special investigation team (SIT) reinvestigated the raids and found no evidence of wrongdoing against him.
The SIT found irregularities against Wankhede and his team in its report to the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) last year, essentially on alleged irregularities in the conduct of the drugs-on-cruise raids and violations of the Central Civil Services (CCS) Rules.
