Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede, who led the drugs probe circling Bollywood's superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan, shared his sympathies with parents whose children have a drug problem.

In an exclusive interview with Lallantop, Wankhede, a 2008 Indian Revenue Service officer, sounded almost reflective about his role in the October 2021 drugs raid on the Cordelia Cruise, which led to Aryan's arrest on charges of drug possession and consumption. In May 2023, Wankhede submitted an affidavit detailing his conversations with Shah Rukh Khan, where the actor solicited leniency for his son Aryan.

Wankhede did not take Shah Rukh Khan's name but conceded that families of people who had committed drug-related crimes suffered a lot. "One would feel bad for the concerned parents and relatives, who get extremely hurt if you take action against someone," he said. "In a case when someone is using drugs, we feel sorry, but somewhere down the line, it's our duty to implement the law."

When accused of attempting to extort Rs 25 crore from the actor in exchange for Aryan's release, Wankhede's affidavit, along with the WhatsApp exchanges with Shah Rukh Khan, became part of a CBI case. The chats showed Shah Rukh Khan begging for his son's health and well-being due to his going to jail.

He was asked why he had not informed senior officials about his personal meetings with Shah Rukh Khan, as per the NCB convention. When asked about Aryan Khan's arrest, Wankhede declined to make any comment, saying the matter was subjudice. Authorities arrested Aryan Khan in the Cordelia cruise drug bust case. However, the NCB itself later declared Aryan Khan innocent and filed charges against 14 others related to this case.