Sameer Wankhede, a former employee of the Narcotics Control Bureau, has produced conversations he allegedly had with Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan to demonstrate his innocence. He is accused of trying to extort Rs 25 crore from the star in exchange for the release of his son Aryan Khan from custody in a drug case.
In a petition he submitted to a court in response to the case brought against him, Wankhede attached a series of messages he said he exchanged with Shah Rukh Khan. During a drugs raid in 2021 that Sameer Wankhede oversaw, the NCB detained Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan and charged him with drug possession and consumption.
Since then, Aryan has been freed and the accusations against him have been dropped. Wankhede is now being held in custody. The CBI claims that Sameer Wankhede tried to blackmail Shah Rukh Khan for Rs 25 crore in order to keep Aryan Khan out of the now-shelved drug case.
Sameer Wankhede submitted a petition arguing his innocence in response to the accusations made against him. The petition comprises attachments that appear to be screenshots of a text conversation, which India Today TV has access to. ‘Shahrukh Khan’ is written at the top of the screenshots.
The pictures appear to show ShahRukh allegedly pleading with Sameer Wankhede, the NCB Mumbai Zonal director at the time, to prevent Aryan from being imprisoned because it would “destroy his spirit.”
Shah Rukh Khan also tells the police in the Wankhede-produced talks that Aryan doesn’t deserve to be imprisoned like a seasoned felon. The following are some of the chat messages that Sameer Wankhede has included in his petition:
“Get your guys to go slow for Gods sake. I swear I will stand by you at all times to come and assist you with what all you are trying to achieve good. It’s a man’s promise and you know me enough to know I am good for it. I beg you to please have mercy in me and my family. We are a simple set of people and my son has been a bit wayward, but he doesn’t deserve being in a jail like a hardened criminal. You also know that. Please have a heart man, please I beg you.”
“I beg you man, please don’t let him be in that jail. He will break as a human being. His spirit will be destroyed because of some vested people. You promised you will reform my child not put him in a place where he may come out completely battered and broken.”
“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. I don’t know the technicalities but if the department in charge feels all is ok and to your satisfaction. If then your authority furnishes a ‘ short reply ‘ with whatever conditions your team may have. I promise you whatever cooperation you would need from him will be done to the best of his abilities. Just please consider this request favourably it will be a huge favour because the family just wants him home, and not get stamped with having been a convict in a notorious prison. It will really help with his future and that’s why I am making this, beyond reasonable request as a father. I hope you consider it please, for his sake.”
“Please tell them to go easy man and let me get my son home. Please. There is nothing more I can say or do but beg you. You have noticed my behaviour through all this. You know I would never stand by anything against what you are doing. I believed it when you said you are thinking of Aryan as your own and want to make him a better person. I haven’t done anything to not help my son get that reformation. I haven’t been in press. I haven’t made a statement. I have just believed in your goodness. Please please don’t let me down as a father.”
“As a good man why would you subject him to this for some selfish people doing what they are doing. I promise you I will go to them and beg them to not say another word in front of you. Will use everything in my power to make sure they listen and retract whatever they have said. I promise you I will do all of it and won’t shirk away from begging them to stop. But please send my son home. You also know in your heart it’s been a bit too harsh for him by now. Please please I beg you as a father.”
