Bureau, February 28, 2026: The Delhi High Court has permitted the continuation of disciplinary proceedings against former IRS officer Sameer Wankhede in connection with the 2021 Cordelia Cruise drugs case.
A division bench comprising Justice Anil Kshetrapal and Justice Amit Mahajan allowed the Central Government’s petition challenging an earlier order of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), which had quashed the disciplinary action initiated against Wankhede.
The Centre had moved the High Court against CAT’s decision that set aside the charge sheet issued to Wankhede on August 18, 2025, by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC). The High Court has now cleared the way for the disciplinary proceedings to continue.
Allegations Against Wankhede
Sameer Wankhede, a 2008-batch Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, was in the spotlight during his tenure with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Mumbai in 2021. He was involved in the high-profile Cordelia Cruise drugs case that led to the arrest of Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan.
Wankhede has been accused of threatening to implicate Aryan Khan in the case and allegedly demanding ₹25 crore from his family. He also faces allegations of attempting to misdirect the investigation.
With the High Court’s latest order, the disciplinary inquiry against Wankhede will proceed as per the government’s action, marking a significant development in the controversial case.
