Mumbai: Bombay High Court on Thursday has extended Narcotics Control Bureau's former Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede's interim protection from arrest till June 23 while hearing his plea against the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case against him.
The case came up for hearing before a division bench comprising Justices A S Gadkari and S G Dige. Wankhede's counsel Aabad Ponda informed the division bench that his client and Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer has been appearing before the CBI for interrogation as directed by the court earlier. So far, Wankhede has appeared seven times before the CBI for interrogation and has been cooperating, the counsel submitted.
CBI advocate Kuldeep Patil argued that the investigation in the case is at a crucial stage and the IRS officer's petition to quash the proceedings is not maintainable. The bench after hearing both sides posted the plea for further hearing on June 23 and extended the interim relief. "Interim relief granted stands extended till the next date," the court ruled.
He has sought the Court to quash the proceedings of the CBI case carrying charges of extortion and bribery. The case of the CBI is that Wankhede and others accused had allegedly demanded Rs 25 crore bribe from Shah Rukh Khan for not charging the Bollywood super star's son Aryan Khan who was arrested after an alleged seizure of drugs from a luxury cruise ship- Cordelia.
Wankhede moved the HC last month seeking to quash the case and also sought interim protection from any coercive action. A vacation bench of then HC had then granted interim protection from arrest to Wankhede till June 8 and directed him to cooperate with the investigation. The CBI in its affidavit filed last week sought for the protection to be recalled, saying it had a prima facie case against Wankhede.
Wankhede and the other accused in the case have been booked under charges of criminal conspiracy and extortion threats under the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act pertaining to bribery.
Aryan Khan and several others were arrested in October 2021 for alleged possession, consumption and trafficking of drugs. Later, Aryan Khan was granted bail by the high court after spending three weeks in jail. The NCB subsequently filed its chargesheet, but did not name Aryan as an accused in the case citing lack of evidence. The anti-drugs agency had then set up a special enquiry team to carry out an inquiry into the case and against its own officers. (with Agency inputs)
