Overview

• A bench of Justices Ajey S. Gadkari and Rajesh S. Patil pressed the CBI for a firm timeline after persistent adjournments due to the Solicitor General’s unavailability
• The Bombay High Court extended interim protection for Sameer Wankhede against coercive action and allowed the agency to file a chargesheet subject to judicial approval
• Wankhede has denied all charges as politically motivated and submitted text messages with Shah Rukh Khan to demonstrate cordial communication without coercion or financial demand
• The FIR, registered in May 2023 on the basis of a Special Enquiry Team report, accuses Wankhede and four others of demanding a Rs 25 crore bribe to influence Aryan Khan’s 2021 Cordelia cruise drug bust case
• Wankhede’s lawyer argued that the prolonged probe has stalled his career advancement, leaving his promotion on hold during the ongoing legal proceedings