Aryan Khan Case Misconduct:

Sameer Wankhede, responsible for arresting Aryan Khan in the alleged cruise drugs case two years ago while serving as an officer with the Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau, has been charged with corruption by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The CBI based its investigation on a vigilance report from the NCB has conducted raids at 29 locations, including those associated with Wankhede and two other accused individuals, in Delhi, Mumbai, and Ranchi.

It should be noted that In the year 2021, Sameer Wankhede, held the position of Mumbai zonal chief of the Narcotics Control Bureau, who led a raid on a cruise ship off the coast of Mumbai along with other officials.

Aryan Khan son of Bollywood actor Shahrukh Khan was one of the individuals arrested in connection with the case and spent four weeks in jail.

However, surprisingly, in May 2022, the Anti-Drugs Agency cleared Khan of all charges, citing insufficient evidence.

HIGHLIGHTS OF ARYAN KHAN’S DRUG-ON-CRUISE-CASE

• Officials reported that on Friday, the CBI conducted searches at the properties of former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede and four others after filing an FIR.
• As per the FIR, Sameer allegedly sought a bribe of Rs 25 crore to prevent the framing of Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan, in the drugs-on-cruise case.
• Aryan Khan was arrested in connection with an alleged drug bust on the Cordelia Cruise Ship on October 2, 2021.
• Despite the NCB filing a charge sheet in the drugs-on-cruise case, Aryan Khan was cleared of all charges.
• While a Special Investigation Team established by the anti-drugs agency identified lapses in the investigation conducted by Wankhede.
• The searches were carried out across 29 locations in Mumbai, Delhi, Ranchi, and Kanpur.

CBI INVESTIGATION REPORT

According to officials, the CBI was provided with information that Sameer Wankhede and an associate had allegedly collected an advance of Rs 50 lakh.

Wankhede, who was in charge of the Mumbai branch of the Narcotics Control Bureau during Aryan Khan’s arrest, was transferred to the Directorate General of Taxpayer Services in Chennai in May 2021.

BACKGROUND

• Officials reported that the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) terminated the services of Superintendent Vishwa Vijay Singh, who was a member of the team that arrested Aryan Khan, actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son, in the “Drugs-On-Cruise” case during the Cordelia Cruise raid in 2021.
• The NCB reportedly fired Singh due to misconduct in another matter for which he had previously been suspended.
• The order regarding Singh’s termination was issued last month, according to an official statement made on Tuesday.

Initially, Aryan Khan faced charges of drug possession, consumption, and trafficking, among others. However, after spending 22 days in jail, he was given a clean chit by the NCB in May 2022 due to a “lack of sufficient evidence,” officials stated.

Following allegations of high-handedness against the NCB team and Sameer Wankhede, a separate vigilance inquiry was conducted.

As a result, departmental action was taken against seven officers in connection with the “Drugs-On-Cruise” case. Wankhede, as an IRS officer, was later transferred to the DG Taxpayer Service Directorate in Chennai, according to officials.