# Aryan Khan Case: Sameer Wankhede Breaks Silence on Leaking Shah Rukh Khan’s WhatsApp Chat, ‘What is Wrong in Those?’
**Posted on October 9, 2025**
The echoes of the 2021 Cordelia Cruise drug bust continue to reverberate through Bollywood and beyond, with former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede reigniting the debate in a no-holds-barred interview. At the center: alleged WhatsApp chats with Shah Rukh Khan (SRK), where the superstar reportedly pleaded for leniency toward his son Aryan Khan, who was arrested amid the high-profile raid. Wankhede, now an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, vehemently denies leaking the conversations, calling the accusations baseless and questioning their very content. "What is wrong in those chats?" he retorted, framing the disclosure as a lawful court submission rather than a malicious act. This comes amid his ongoing defamation lawsuit against SRK's Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix over Aryan's directorial debut series *The Ba***ds of Bollywood*, which Wankhede claims mocks him and tarnishes law enforcement's image.
As the legal saga unfolds, Wankhede's words paint a picture of a man fighting not just for personal vindication, but for the dignity of uniformed officers who "risk their lives" in anti-drug ops. Let's unpack the latest chapter in this enduring controversy.
### The Cruise Raid That Rocked Bollywood: A Quick Recap
On October 3, 2021, NCB teams raided a high-seas party on the Cordelia Cruise off Mumbai's coast, nabbing eight individuals—including Aryan Khan—for alleged drug possession and consumption. Aryan, then 23, spent 25 days in Arthur Road Jail before the Bombay High Court granted him bail on October 28, citing lack of substantial evidence and terming the case "fanciful and imaginary." He received a clean chit in 2022.
Wankhede, the raid's lead investigator, faced immediate backlash: allegations of demanding a Rs 25 crore bribe from the Khan family to quash the case, caste-based misconduct, and extortion. He was shunted out of the NCB in 2021 and slapped with a CBI probe in 2023. Undeterred, Wankhede has maintained the operation was by-the-book, targeting the "entire supply chain" in narcotics cases—not just possession, but conspiracy and abetment.
Enter the chats: In May 2023, media outlets like CNBC-TV18 reported on alleged WhatsApp exchanges from mid-October 2021, where SRK purportedly reached out to Wankhede, addressing him as "Sir" and seeking "assistance" for Aryan. The messages, certified under Section 65B of the Indian Evidence Act for authenticity, surfaced during Wankhede's Rs 25 crore extortion defense petition in the Bombay High Court.
### 'Leaking? Why Would I?': Wankhede's Firm Denial
In an exclusive October 8 interview with HT City, Wankhede dismantled the "leak" narrative with surgical precision. "There was a writ petition which I had filed before the Hon’ble Bombay High Court. In that writ, I had to present some evidence in front of the court. So why will I 'leak' it? I will bring it to the Hon’ble Court. What is my motive in 'leaking' those things?" he questioned.
He doubled down: "Leaking would be the wrong word here. It’s neither my habit, nor am I so weak to do such things." Dismissing speculation that the chats were weaponized to portray the Khans as victims, Wankhede quipped, "Whoever did this, I will tell them to try harder." And on their innocuous nature? "What is wrong in those chats? The matter is before the honorable High Court." He hinted at a court gag order from an affidavit, limiting further commentary.
Wankhede also refuted bribery claims outright, insisting the chats—far from incriminating—vindicate his position. "You all saw the chats and I don’t want to repeat what is in the chats," he told NEWJ in an earlier podcast, emphasizing procedural rigor over personal vendettas.
### The Defamation Storm: *The Ba***ds of Bollywood* and Beyond
Wankhede's latest legal salvo is a defamation suit filed in September 2025 against Red Chillies and Netflix, seeking Rs 2 crore in damages. He alleges a character in Aryan's satirical series—a corrupt, bumbling cop— is a "malicious parody" of him, eroding public trust in anti-narcotics efforts. "This is an attack on the dignity of my family... and officers who put their lives on the line," he told HT City, revealing the personal toll: death threats from Pakistani numbers, humiliating messages to his actress-wife Kranti Redkar and sister, and a "smear campaign" that left his family in fear.
"It's not about personal pride—it's about the department's dignity. The next time, nobody should make satire on cops," he asserted, rejecting notions of a grudge against SRK. "I am just a small government servant. How could anyone hold such a grudge against me? We don't live in a banana republic." The Delhi High Court has issued summons to the defendants, with hearings underway.
### No Scapegoat: Defending the Arrest
Wankhede also revisited Aryan's arrest, debunking the "bali ka bakra" (scapegoat) theory. "Isme bali ka bakra koi banta nahi hai... There is conscious possession, electronic evidence, statements—it's not just one officer; there are procedures," he explained on Mama’s Couch podcast. He stressed that raids target networks, not individuals, and media frenzy amplified the spotlight on a "superstar's son."
### A Lingering Shadow: Broader Implications
This flare-up underscores the toxic intersection of celebrity, law enforcement, and media in India. Wankhede's ouster and probes paint him as a fall guy in some narratives, while others see the case as emblematic of overreach. As the courts deliberate, one thing's clear: the 2021 raid's wounds run deep, with Wankhede positioning himself as a defender of duty amid "misleading narratives."
For SRK and Aryan, who've largely stayed mum, the chats and series represent creative expression; for Wankhede, they're assaults on integrity. As he puts it, "It's about protecting the women in my family who started receiving humiliating messages." The full story? Likely sealed in court files, awaiting judicial light.
*Do you think the chats change the narrative on the Aryan Khan case? Drop your thoughts below.*
**Sources:** Compiled from LiveMint, Times of India, BollywoodShaadis, Hindustan Times, Moneycontrol, India Forums, Mashable India, Bollywood Bubble, News18, and Reddit discussions. All details current as of October 9, 2025.
