Good news for Sameer Wankhede: Delhi HC takes a massive dig at Centre for concealing…, imposes fine of Rs…

The Delhi High Court has reprimanded the Centre in a case related to the promotion of IRS officer and former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede. The High Court imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on the Central Government for concealing certain crucial facts in a petition seeking review of the related order. The Court found that the Central Government had concealed crucial information regarding the CAT order, which could have affected the judicial process.

Review Petition Dismissed

A bench headed by Justice Navin Chawla dismissed the review petition of the Central Government seeking review of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order granting promotion to Wankhede. The Delhi High Court has upheld the order passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) in this matter. The CAT had previously stayed all departmental proceedings against Sameer Wankhede, granting him promotion relief.

Centre Concealed Crucial Information

The Central Government filed a review petition in the Delhi High Court against this order. During the hearing, Wankhede’s lawyer told the court that the Central Government concealed in its appeal the fact that the CAT had stayed all departmental proceedings against Wankhede. The court found that the government’s failure to provide this information was a serious lapse.

Court Imposes Fine on Centre

The Delhi High Court subsequently dismissed the Central Government’s review petition and imposed a fine of Rs 20,000 on the Central Government.

Who Is Sameer Wankhede?

Sameer Wankhede, currently an Additional Commissioner in the Department of Revenue, Ministry of Finance, made headlines in October 2021 when he arrested Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, in connection with an alleged rave party on a cruise ship. At the time, Wankhede was the Mumbai Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

Ongoing Investigations

Wankhede is also facing proceedings by the CBI and the ED in connection with money laundering allegations. Both cases were filed in 2023, and in July, the Bombay High Court granted the CBI three months to complete the investigation.