Delhi HC gives nod to disciplinary action against Sameer Wankhede

The Delhi High Court on Friday gave its nod to the continuation of disciplinary proceedings against IRS officer Sameer Wankhede in connection with the 2021 Cordelia cruise drugs case.

A bench of Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Amit Mahajan allowed the Centre's plea against an order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) which quashed the disciplinary proceedings against Wankhede in the matter.

"This petition is allowed," said the bench while pronouncing the verdict.

A detailed copy of the verdict is awaited.

The central government challenged the CAT order passed on January 19, quashing the 'Charge Memorandum' issued to Wankhede on August 18, 2025, by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Wankhede, a 2008 batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, made headlines for allegedly demanding ₹25 crore from Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's family by threatening to implicate his son Aryan Khan in the Cordelia cruise drug bust case during his tenure in the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai in 2021.

Before the CAT, Wankhede filed an original application challenging the disciplinary inquiry against him by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs for allegedly seeking confidential information related to the probe from NCB's legal department after he was relieved from the agency.

It was also alleged that he sought an "assurance" from the NCB's legal officer to "steer the investigation" in the probe.

On January 12, the high court refused to interfere with an order of the CAT staying the disciplinary proceedings against Wankhede.

It had, however, asked the CAT to make "sincere efforts" to decide the main matter on January 14 or within the next 10 days.