The CBI FIR pertains to an alleged demand of a bribe of Rs 25 crore by Wankhede and others from the family members of those arrested in the 2021 case, including actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan. (File)
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The CBI has sought that the Bombay High Court order granting interim protection to former Narcotics Control Bureau zonal director Sameer Wankhede in the bribery case relating to the cruise ship drug bust be recalled.
The CBI, while opposing Wankhede’s petition in the court, said last week the investigation was in its initial stage and granting protection to Wankhede would adversely affect it. The case pertains to the Rs 25-crore bribe allegedly demanded by Wankhede and others from actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan and others arrested in the 2021 Cordelia drug-bust case.
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“The allegations mentioned in the FIR are very serious and sensitive in nature pertaining to the acts of corruption, criminal conspiracy and extortion by threat by the FIR named, the then public servants of NCB and private persons. The written complaint received from NCB discloses the commission of cognizable offences. Hence the instant case has been registered and taken up for investigation by CBI. It is further submitted that the allegations as mentioned in the FIR is being investigated and the investigation in this case is at initial stages,” the CBI reply stated.
The CBI said it had registered the FIR on the basis of a written complaint forwarded by the superintendent (vigilance) of the NCB on May 11 along with approval required for initiating action under section 17A of Prevention of Corruption Act against a public servant. The basis of the written complaint was an inquiry conducted by the NCB’s Special Enquiry Team, the CBI added.
A bench of Justice Ajey S Gadkari is likely to hear Wankhede’s petition on Thursday, till when Wankhede has been given interim protection from coercive action under specific conditions.
Laying down the conditions, the court said on May 22 that Wankhede should not publish any material on the petition or the investigation by way of WhatsApp or any other mode, give press statements, or tamper with evidence in any matter whatsoever. The court also asked Wankhede to give an undertaking in this regard and said that he should be present before the CBI as and when called for.
The Special Enquiry Team had earlier submitted an affidavit stating that approval under section 17A of the Prevention of Corruption Act for an internal inquiry was taken in October 2021, before the FIR was registered. It said the agency had therefore not overreached the bar under the law.
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The CBI adopted the NCB’s reply related to the bar under section 17A.
Aryan, who was arrested by the NCB on October 3, 2021, after the raid on the cruise ship a day before, was granted bail by Justice Nitin W Sambre on October 28, after 25 days in jail. But his name was not included in the list of the accused in the NCB chargesheet for lack of evidence.
Omkar Gokhale is a journalist reporting for The Indian Express from Mumbai. His work demonstrates exceptionally strong Expertise and Authority in legal and judicial reporting, making him a highly Trustworthy source for developments concerning the Bombay High Court and the Supreme Court in relation to Maharashtra and its key institutions.
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