CBI objects to Sameer Wankhede revealing chats with Shah Rukh Khan; Bombay High Court restrains Wankhede from interacting with media

The Bombay High Court extended the interim protection granted to former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede till June 8 in the bribery case lodged against him on allegations that he had demanded favours from Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan when the latter's son Aryan Khan was arrested in a drug case in 2021..However, the vacation bench of Justices Abhay Ahuja and MM Sathaye imposed the following conditions on Wankhede: He should not publish any material by way of WhatsApp or any other mode on the subject matter in the petition or investigation;He should not give press statement; He should not tamper with evidence in any matter whatsoever..The Court also ordered him to give an undertaking on affidavit before the court end of day today. The conditions were imposed after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) took objection to Wankehede disclosing in his petition text messages with actor Shah Rukh Khan and sharing the same with media."The chats he is referring to is of the time when the accused (Aryan Khan) was in jail and the father (Shah Rukh Khan) had messaged him. Ultimately the son was given clean chit. The request of that father, he (Wankhede) is treating as a (character) certificate," CBI counsel advocate Kuldeep Patil said. .The Court was hearing a petition by Wankhede seeking quashing of the first information report (FIR) registered by CBI against him and others for extortion and corruption.Patil informed the Court that Wankhede had leaked certain chats with actor Shah Rukh Khan which he had enclosed in his petition. The Court was displeased with Wankhede's conduct. "When the matter was subjudice what was the need for circulating the chats? When you have subjected yourself to this court, why did you go to media?", the bench expressed. .Senior Advocate Abad Ponda, appearing for Wankhede, assured the court that Wankhede had not circulated any chats. He added that even so, what was in the media was only the chats annexed to the petition and nothing beyond it. Patil argued that Wankhede was supposed to attend to the investigating officer as and when summoned and not transmit any messages to the media or to any other person with respect to the subject matter of FIR. If he did this, arrest may not be required. He however pleaded the court to not grant any "blanket protection" to Wankhede. .After hearing both sides, the Court deemed it fit to extend the protection granted on May 19 till June 8..The drug case against Aryan Khan had been initiated by the Mumbai unit of NCB after a search-seizure operation was carried out on the Mumbai-Goa cruise on October 2, 2021, which led to 20 arrests including Aryan Khan.He was later granted bail on October 28, 2021 and given a clean chit on May 27, 2022.Later, CBI registered FIR against Wankhede alleging offences under sections 7 (bribery), 7A (undue advantage to influence public servant by illegal means) and 12 (abetment) of the Prevention of Corruption Act along with section 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 388 (extortion) of the Indian Penal Code.Wankhede initially approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection.When objections of territorial jurisdiction was raised by CBI, Wankhede withdrew his plea and was granted liberty to approach the appropriate forum.After that, the present petition was filed before the Bombay High Court through advocate Karan Jain seeking quashing of the FIR and interim relief..[Read order]