ED launches money laundering probe against Sameer Wankhede

Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Saturday registered a case against former Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede. ED has started an investigation into the money laundering case against Wankhede and has also summoned three NCB officers for questioning.

Last year, the CBI booked Wankhede for allegedly demanding ₹25 crore as a bribe for not framing Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan in the drugs-on-crime case. The agency said that the deal was closed for ₹18 crore, adding that Wankhade's assets were not proportionate to his known sources of income.

Aryan Khan case: SRK called me 'upright officer', says Wankhede in Bombay HC

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) booked Wankhede and others for alleged criminal conspiracy (120-B IPC), and threat of extortion (388 IPC) besides provisions pertaining to bribery under the Prevention of Corruption Act on a complaint from the NCB.

Other corruption charges against Sameer Wankhede and other NCB officials were also in process. The FIR copy said he was not able to justify expenses made during his foreign visit.

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Wankhede has alleged that he was being punished for being a patriot.

Wankhede raided Cordelia Cruise and arrested actor Shah Rukh Khan's son, Aryan Khan, in an alleged drug case on October 2, 2021. A year later, the NCB filed a charge sheet in the drugs-on-cruise case against 14 accused but gave a clean chit to Aryan Khan.

Wankhede, a 2008-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer of the Customs and Indirect Taxes cadre, has moved the Bombay High Court seeking protection from any coercive action by the ED.