New Delhi: The interim protection from arrest granted to Sameer Wankhede by the Bombay high court in the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI's) case of bribery and extortion has been extended till June 23.

The Narcotics Control Bureau’s former Mumbai zonal director and four others are facing allegations that they had demanded Rs 25 crore in the form of a bribe from actor Shah Rukh Khan for not framing his son Aryan Khan in the alleged drugs on cruise case of 2021.

Last month, Wankhede had moved the high court with a plea for quashing the case against him as well for protection from any coercive action. In response, the court had granted him interim protection till June 8 and directed him to cooperate with the ongoing investigation. On Thursday, June 8, a division bench of Justice A.S. Gadkari and Justice S.G. Dige of the high court said his case would be heard on June 23 until which the interim protection would remain.

"Interim relief granted stands extended till the next date [June 23]," the court said, according to news agency PTI.

The CBI booked Wankhede and others on charges of criminal conspiracy and extortion threats under the Indian Penal Code and provisions of the Prevention of Corruption Act pertaining to bribery.

Aryan Khan and several others were arrested in October 2021 for the alleged possession, consumption, and trafficking of drugs. Aryan was granted bail by the high court after he spent three weeks in jail. In the subsequent chargesheet filed, Aryan's name was not mentioned by NCB citing a lack of evidence.

The anti-drugs agency had then set up a special inquiry team to carry out an inquiry into the case and against its own officers.

Last week, CBI, in response to Wankhede's plea, sought the high court to recall interim protection granted to him, stating that it had a prima facie case against him.

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