Delhi High Court Clears Path for Disciplinary Action Against IRS Officer Sameer Wankhede

The Delhi High Court approved the continuation of disciplinary proceedings against IRS officer Sameer Wankhede related to the 2021 Cordelia cruise drugs case. The court set aside a Central Administrative Tribunal order, which had halted the proceedings, emphasizing the legitimacy of the charges based on documentary evidence.

The Delhi High Court has cleared the way for ongoing disciplinary proceedings against IRS officer Sameer Wankhede, associated with the 2021 Cordelia cruise drugs case. The bench, comprising Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Amit Mahajan, overturned a previous order by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) that had disrupted the proceedings against Wankhede.

The decision arrives in response to the central government's challenge to a January 19 CAT order. This order had invalidated the 'Charge Memorandum' issued in August 2025 by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs, leading to a deadlock in the investigation concerning Wankhede, a 2008 batch IRS officer. The NCB had accused Wankhede of attempting to manipulate an investigation involving Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan's family.

The court criticized CAT's interference at a preliminary stage, noting that the case relied solely on documentary evidence provided by Wankhede. The charges, considered specific by the court, did not merit being categorized as vague. With the CAT's claims of procedural impropriety overturned, Wankhede has been directed to respond to the disciplinary authority internally.