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Sameer Wankhede extortion case: Did Bandra politician give SRK’s manager Pooja Dadlani ₹50 lakh to get Aryan Khan freed?

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Mumbai: The action of the Central Bureau of Investigation against the former Mumbai zonal director of the Narcotics Control Bureau, Sameer Wankhede, has created resentment among Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officers.

In fact, the ongoing controversy is increasingly being perceived in Central bureaucratic circles as a battle between the IPS-dominated CBI and the IRS. In Mumbai, a war is already going on between the CBI and officials of the Goods & Services Tax (GST) department, following the failure of the Bureau sleuths in trapping a GST superintendent in a corruption case.

None of the officers in Delhi involved in investigation

What is significant is that Wankhede, who belongs to the IRS, is being ‘hounded’ while his erstwhile bosses in Delhi, who were in the loop at every step of the operation against Aryan Khan, and those belonging to the IPS, remain untouched.

In Wankhede’s case, the entire issue revolves around the Rs 25 crore allegedly demanded from actor Shah Rukh Khan, to protect his son Aryan from arrest, after the latter was caught in a raid on the Cordelia cruise ship by the NCB. It is alleged K P Gosavi, who was an independent witness engaged by the NCB, was fronting for Wankhede.

However, there is no evidence to suggest that Gosavi made the demand on behalf of Wankhede. The only evidence was an affidavit signed by Prabhakar Sail, the bodyguard of Gosavi. But this evidence is based on an extremely weak foundation because it admits that it is based on hearsay. In any case, Sail is no more, having died of a heart attack in April 2022. His family has not suspected any foul play.

Shah Rukh Khan’s manager paid Rs 50 lakh as down payment to NCB’s Gosavi

It is further alleged that the Rs 25 crore bribe amount whittled down to Rs 18 crore after hard bargaining by Shah Rukh Khan’s manager, Pooja Dadlani, and she paid Rs 50 lakh as down payment to Gosavi. There is no denying that this money did change hands. But its trail to Wankhede has not been established.

More importantly, Dadlani has not been summoned to record her statement in the 18 months that have passed after the arrest of Aryan Khan. “It is extremely mysterious why she has not been called in for questioning,” a senior IRS officer observed. Also, the source of the Rs 50 lakh is not known.

“Dadlani would not have spent her own money. So, who gave her this huge sum of money? It is believed that a Bandra politician known for his proximity to Bollywood had arranged the amount that fateful night,” a source added. Also, Shah Rukh Khan’s statement is yet to be recorded.

“It is a case which is near impossible to prove because there is no proof of demand for a bribe and there is no evidence of the so-called bribe amount of Rs 25 crore. I wonder why the CBI is pursuing such a weak case. Maybe it is a command performance to satisfy someone’s mega ego,” said a lawyer, who is closely monitoring the developments.

Bollywood

Farah Khan ties pagdi for Rajkummar Rao in throwback picture from his wedding with Patralekha

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Mumbai, Jan 9: Bollywood couple Rajkummar Rao and Patralekha are celebrating the birthday of choreographer-director Farah Khan.

On Thursday, Raj and Patralekha shared a joint post on their Instagram handles. The post showcases many heartwarming moments featuring them with Farah.

They wrote in the caption, “Happiest Birthday to our dearest @farahkhankunder ma’am. Wishing you only the best in life..We love you to the moon and back”.

The couple and Farah are known to be best of friends. Farah even attended their wedding ceremony in November 2021 in Chandigarh. One of the pictures shows Farah tying a pagdi for Rajkummar during the ceremony.

Rajkummar Rao and Patralekhaa’s wedding was one of the most cherished moments for not just their fans but also for the members of the film fraternity. The who’s who of Bollywood graced the wedding celebrations and blessed the newly – wed actors.

The names included bigwigs like Farah Khan, Rao’s close friend Hansal Mehta, ‘Article 15’ director Anubhav Sinha, Luv Ranjan; the famed director of ‘Pyaar Ka Punchnama’ series, ‘The Family Man’ creators; Raj and Dk.

Raj and Dk’s social media handle recently shared a picture from previously concluded reception of Rajkummar and Patralekhaa where all the directors along with Rajkummar, look all decked up in black tuxedos. They captioned the post in Español, “Hombres De Negro (Men In Black)”

The comment section was soon flooded by fans and the film personalities. While Rajkummar expressed his feeling for the most influential people in his life by commenting, “I love you guys”, Shreya Dhanwanthary wrote, “Omg. All that’s missing from this photograph is background musicOmg. All that’s missing from this photograph is background music”. Actor and casting director Abhishek Banerjee wrote, “League of extraordinary gentlemen !!”

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Bollywood

Jackie Shroff finds ‘peace’ as he spends time in nature

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Mumbai, Jan 9: It is no secret that aside from being a celebrated actor Jackie Shroff is also a nature freak. Proving the same, the ‘Housefull 3’ star recently shared a clip on his official Instagram handle, giving the netizens an insight into his recent visit to a center for cows.

The video has Jackie Shroff spending time with the animals. His latest Insta post was captioned, “𝑃𝐸𝐴𝐶𝐸”. However, this is not the first time that Jackie Shroff has openly shown his love for nature. Time and again, the actor is seen talking about the need to plant more trees to save the planet.

On another front, Jackie Shroff is all set to be a part of the highly-awaited crime series, “Chidiya Udd”. Scheduled to premiere on the OTT platform Amazon MX Player on 15th January this year, the drama is inspired by Aabid Surti’s popular novel Cages. “Chidiya Udd” will revolve around the life of a young Rajasthani woman named Seher, who gets caught up in the dark world of Mumbai’s crime syndicate. The story moves forward as she attempts to break away from the chains of power and violence. The makers recently unveiled the official trailer of the forthcoming web series.

Helmed by Ravi Jadhav, the project has been jointly bankrolled by Harman Baweja and Vicky Bahri. Apart from Jackie Shroff, “Chidiya Udd” will also feature Bhoomika Meena, Sikandar Kher, Madhur Mittal, Mayur More, and Mita Vashisht in crucial roles. Jackie Shroff will essay on the character of Qadir Khan in his next.

In addition to this, Jackie Shroff will also star in the highly-talked-about sequel, “Housefull 5”. He will be seen sharing the screen with Akshay Kumar, Nana Patekar, Sanjay Dutt, Abhishek Bachchan, and Riteish Deshmukh, along with others. Directed by Tarun Mansukhani, the movie will reach the cinema halls on 6th June this year.

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Bollywood

Armaan Malik- Aashna Shroff look smitten in their first Wedding pictures

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Mumbai, Jan 3: Singer Armaan Malik is finally married to his longtime girlfriend and influencer, Aashna Shroff.

The couple took to Instagram to share the joyful news, posting dreamy wedding photos accompanied by a heartfelt caption.

Armaan and Aashna got engaged in August 2023. On Thursday, Armaan and Aashna shared photos from their nuptials on their respective Instagram handles, writing in the caption, “tu hi mera Ghar.”

In the photos, the couple radiates pure happiness, dressed in stunning traditional wedding attire in shades of orange. Aashna looks beautiful as a bride in an orange lehenga, while Armaan opts for a pastel-shaded sherwani.

The wedding appeared to be an intimate outdoor affair, attended by close family and friends. Soon after the couple announced their wedding, the comments section was flooded with congratulatory messages. Pranutan shared a series of red heart emojis, while Sophie Choudry wrote, “Oh my goodness! Congratulations, you guys.” Aahana Kumra simply wrote, “Congratulations.” Varun Dhawan also liked the post.

Armaan and Aashna announced their engagement on social media in August 2023. The singer posted a series of romantic pictures. In one of the photos, he was seen on one knee with a ring in his hand. In the other pictures, the couple posed adorably together. Armaan captioned the post, “And our forever has only just begun.”

Meanwhile, Armaan Malik is well-known for his hit songs such as “Wajah Tum Ho,” “Bol Do Na Zara,” and “Butta Bomma.” He recently collaborated with American singer Ed Sheeran on a new version of the British singer’s song “2 Step.” Armaan is recognized for his work as a vocalist, songwriter, record producer, voice-over artist, performer, and actor.

On the other hand, Aashna Shroff is a popular Indian fashion and beauty blogger, as well as a YouTuber.

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