Shah Rukh Khan ‘begged’ Sameer Wankhede to release son Aryan Khan from prison; WhatsApp chats leaked

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's alleged desperate text messages to former zonal director of Mumbai Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), Sameer Wankhede, are currently doing rounds on the internet. According to the viral screenshots, SRK begged the NCB officer, who is currentlyfacing allegations of corruption and criminal misconduct, to go easy on his son Aryan Khan, who spent about a month in jail after getting arrested in the drugs-on-cruise case in 2021.

Wankhede has been accused of conspiring to extort Rs 250 millionfrom the Bollywood actor with the help of "independent witnesses". CBIrecently booked Wankhede on extortion charges and stated that the special enquiry team (SET) of the NCB had red-flagged several lapses and irregularities in the drug bust operation conducted under the "monitoring" of Wankhede.

According to reports, the leaked chats between Wankhede and SRKwere producedbefore the court by Wankhede, in order to prove his innocence that he did not extort the actor in the drug case.

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One of the screenshots shared by Free Press Journal shows the actor asking the NCB officer to be easy on his son. "Get your guys to go slow for God's 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," the screenshot read.

Another screenshot reads, "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," a third WhatsApp chat read.

Aryanwas exonerated from the drug case by the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) last year after a special investigation team (SIT) of the agency probed the raids afresh and said that there was no evidence of wrongdoing against the superstar's son. In its report submitted to the central administrative tribunal (CAT) last year, the SITfound irregularities against the 44-year-old NCB officerand his team.

Wankhede has denied all the allegations and has approached the CAT and the Bombay High Court to quash the CBI FIR against him.

(WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of chats, photos and videos shared on social media.)

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