In a new interview with The Lallantop, Wankhede described this as ‘the smallest case of (his) life’, and claimed to not be familiar with Shah Rukh’s popularity. He also said that he has absolutely ‘no regrets’ about anything in his life, and given the chance to return to his post – he is currently on trial for allegedly extorting money from Shah Rukh, and for laundering money – he ‘would do it all again’. The interviewer asked, “Is this a warning to Shah Rukh Khan?” Wankhede replied in Hindi, “No, I’m a small man. Who am I to warn anybody? The person that you are referring to, I don’t even watch very many movies, I don’t know the names…”
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During the proceedings against Wankhede, alleged chats between him and Shah Rukh were leaked publicly. In one of these messages, Shah Rukh appeared to be imploring Wankhede to show mercy on Aryan. “I beg you as a father,” Shah Rukh allegedly wrote, “Please don’t let him be in that jail. He will break as a human being.” Asked about these alleged chats, Wankhede said, “I don’t want to talk about this man, but whenever you take action (in cases like this), and parents reach out to you, you feel bad about it. Especially when the person is a consumer, or if they have a drug habit. First and foremost, you feel bad, and you want them to go to rehab. Unless, of course, we’re talking about hardened gangsters.”
Regarding his personal exchanges with Shah Rukh, Wankhede declined to elaborate, citing his response provided to the High Court. In a light-hearted moment during the interview, Wankhede jovially questioned which ‘Aryan’ journalist was referring to, showcasing his sense of humor. Despite the controversies surrounding him and the conclusion of his tenure with the NCB after being removed from the Aryan Khan case, Wankhede reiterated his lack of regrets and willingness to stand by his actions if given another chance. Aryan Khan himself was cleared of charges in 2022.
Aryan, SRK’s son, had faced allegations of drug possession but was ultimately acquitted of all charges. Earlier, responding to a dialogue from SRK’s movie Jawan (Bete ko haath lagane se pehle Baap se baat kar), that was reportedly targeted at him, Sameer Wankhede, the investigating officer in Aryan’s case, described it as ‘roadside’. In an interview with MensXP, Sameer shared his perspective on the dialogue, characterizing it as rather roadside. He clarified that he doesn’t typically watch movies or pay attention to dialogues, thus lacking knowledge about this specific film. Neverthless, if the dialogue was aimed at him, he conveyed a preference for responding in English.
Drawing inspiration from another writer, Sameer alluded to a history of involvement in actions resulting in burnt houses and bridges. He emphasized a lack of fear for any consequences, suggesting there’s no need for intimidation.
Having said that, Sameer refrained from delving into details about the ongoing case, emphasizing its legal status. When asked about his past interactions with Shah Rukh Khan, he conveyed that those encounters were consistently affable. “I can’t discuss the case, but in our meetings before, it was always friendly. We knew each other quite well,” he mentioned.
