ED files money laundering case against Sameer Wankhede

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has filed a money laundering case against former zonal director of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Sameer Wankhede, who is accused of demanding ₹25 crore bribe from actor Shah Rukh Khan for not framing his son Aryan Khan in a drug case in October 2021 besides amassing wealth more than his known sources of income, people familiar with the development said on Saturday.

The financial crimes probe agency has registered the case against Wankhede, an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, a few days back based on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) first information report (FIR) filed in May last year.

He is likely to be soon summoned for questioning in the matter by the ED.

Officials cited above said that as soon as Wankhede learnt about ED filing a case against him, he has already moved the high court pleading that no coercive action should be taken against him.

The high court has already granted him relief from coercive action in the CBI case.

It is alleged in the CBI first information report (FIR) filed on May 11, 2023, which names as accused Wankhede, former SP of NCB – Vishwa Vijay Singh, intelligence officer Ashish Ranjan, and two private persons – Kiran Gosavi and Sanville D’Souza, that ₹25 crore was demanded from Shah Rukh Khan in return of for not framing his son, Aryan in the October 2021 Cordelia drug case. The bribe demand was reduced to ₹18 crore by the accused persons.

CBI has already questioned Wankhede and other accused persons in the case. The Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer has dismissed the charges against him saying the CBI action was result of a “vendetta” on part of a few NCB officers.

Aryan Khan was arrested on October 3, 2021, a day after the controversial raid on Cordelia cruise in Mumbai. A special investigation team (SIT) formed by the NCB gave a clean chit to Aryan Khan on May 27 last year saying he was not part of any larger drug-dealing racket as alleged by Wankhede.

NCB’s internal probe revealed that names of Aryan Khan and Arbaaz Merchant were included at the last moment in the “information note” of the agency. Besides, procedures such as documentation of seizure of phones, and the recording of statements were not done properly by Wankhede’s team, the investigation found.

The NCB, in an affidavit filed before Bombay high court, stated Wankhede cannot use his chats with actor Shah Rukh Khan as evidence of his integrity since he kept these chats “secret”.

“Moreover, it is pertinent to note that there was no reason for Wankhede to have continued such chats with Shah Rukh Khan without informing his superior officers,” the NCB said. These chats are currently being analysed by CBI as part of its probe against the officer.