In a significant ruling, the Principal Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has quashed a disciplinary charge against Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sameer Wankhede, criticizing the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) for what it described as "malice in law and personal vendetta". The tribunal prohibited any further action based on Charge Memorandum no. 30/2025, dated August 18, 2025.
The CAT bench, comprising Justice Ranjit More (Chairman) and Rajinder Kashyap (Member-Administrative), upheld Wankhede's challenge to the charge memorandum. The tribunal's decision indicates a strong disapproval of the CBIC's conduct, suggesting the agency's actions were biased and motivated by malicious intent. The CAT stated that the CBIC's actions appeared to be an attempt to impede Wankhede's promotion. The tribunal observed that the issuance of the charge sheet was driven by biased considerations, leading them to interfere to prevent further harassment and humiliation of the applicant.
The case stems from allegations against Wankhede, who served as the Mumbai Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) between 2020 and January 2022. During his tenure, Wankhede gained attention for his involvement in the Cordelia Cruise drug case, which involved the arrest of Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan. Allegations of procedural errors and extortion attempts emerged during the investigation, leading to the formation of a Special Enquiry Team (SET) by the NCB.
In May 2023, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered an FIR against Wankhede based on evidence included in the SET report. The CBI case included sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act and the Indian Penal Code, related to criminal conspiracy and extortion. Wankhede sought relief from the Bombay High Court, which granted him interim protection from coercive measures; this protection remains in force as criminal proceedings are still pending.
Despite these ongoing proceedings and judicial guidance, the CBIC issued a charge memorandum on August 18, 2025. This charge alleged that Wankhede sought confidential information from the NCB’s legal advisor after his transfer and attempted to influence the investigation’s direction. The CAT criticized the CBIC for repeatedly attempting to proceed against Wankhede based on material already deemed unusable for disciplinary purposes.
The tribunal refrained from imposing costs on the CBIC, expressing hope that the board would reform its practices and establish an administrative mechanism that upholds the rule of law. The Supreme Court has also upheld previous Delhi High Court orders regarding Wankhede's promotion, further solidifying the legal relief granted to the IRS officer.
