‘Aryan will break, don't let him be in the jail’: Shah Rukh Khan's chat with ex-NCB officer Sameer Wankhede surfaces

In a major turn of events, WhatsApp chats between former Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede and Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan over the arrest of his son Aryan Khan have been leaked.

As per screenshots obtained by India Today, Shah Rukh Khan was seen requesting Sameer Wankhede, who was the NCB Mumbai Zonal director at the time, to somehow keep Aryan away from jail as it would "destroy his spirit".

"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."

Aryan Khan was arrested by the NCB on October 3, 2021 after a raid on the Cordelia cruise ship. He was granted bail by the Bombay High Court after three weeks as the anti-drug agency failed to substantiate its charges against him. The CBI booked Wankhede and others for alleged criminal conspiracy and threat of extortion, besides under provisions pertaining to bribery under the Prevention of Corruption Act on a complaint by the NCB. The probe agency has alleged that the NCB, Mumbai Zone, had received information in October 2021 related to the consumption and possession of narcotics substances by various individuals on the private cruise ship and that some of its officers conspired and obtained undue advantage in the form of bribes from the alleged accused. 

Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede on Friday moved a petition before the Bombay High Court seeking quashing of an FIR filed against him by the CBI for allegedly demanding Rs 25 crore bribe from superstar Shah Rukh Khan for not implicating his son Aryan Khan in the Cordelia cruise drug bust case.

With inputs from Mustafa Ahaikh.