Mumbai Press Exclusive News
Sameer Wankhede’s promotion path is paved, no one can be deprived of promotion based on mere allegations, High Court and CAT decision upheld
Mumbai: Supreme Court refuses to interfere with Sameer Wankhede’s promotion A bench of Justices PS Narasimha and Alok Arade dismissed the appeal filed by the Central Government challenging the said order of the Delhi High Court pronounced on August 28 last year. The Supreme Court refused to interfere with Sameer Wankhede’s promotion. Sameer Wankhede, an IRS officer of the 2008 batch, gained national attention during the 2021 Cordelia Cruz case. New
The Mumbai Supreme Court on Monday refused to interfere with the Delhi High Court’s order upholding the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT)’s decision to grant relief to Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sameer Wankhede by directing the Centre to proceed with his promotion as Joint Commissioner of Customs and Indirect Taxes. A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Alok Arade dismissed the appeal filed by the Central government challenging the said Delhi High Court order passed on August 28 last year. We are not inclined to interfere with the illegal decision and order in exercise of our jurisdiction under Article 136 of the Constitution of India. The special leave applications are accordingly dismissed, however, the dismissal of the matter will not have any effect on any other proceedings. Pending application (pending), if no one appears in court, the High Court’s August 2025 order had upheld the CAT’s December 2024 decision, in which the government was directed to promote Wankhede to the post of Additional Commissioner of Customs and Indirect Taxes, with effect from January 1, 2021. On the recommendation of the UPSC, the tribunal had also directed that his name be appropriately placed in the seniority list of Joint Commissioners. The Centre opposed Wankhede’s promotion on the ground that several proceedings were pending against the IRS officer. These include an FIR registered by the CBI in May 2023, an ECIR registered by the Enforcement Directorate under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, and a draft charge sheet proposing a hefty fine. The complaints stem from allegations of lapses and corruption linked to the search and seizure operation of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in the Cordelia Cruise case, in which Wankhede was a part. Several people, including Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan, were arrested in the NCB search operation on charges of drug use. It was alleged that the accused officers misused their official positions and conspired with private individuals. According to the allegations, they conspired to extort Rs 25 crore from the family of an accused in the case, later settled for Rs 18 crore, of which Rs 50 lakh was allegedly received as bribe.
Due to the above allegations against Wankhede, the report recommending his promotion was kept under sealed cover, and the promotion of the officers was stopped. However, the Delhi High Court, agreeing with the CAT, had approved the promotion of the officers while observing that, till date (August 2025), there was no departmental action pending against Wankhede, no charge sheet had been filed by the CBI or the ED, and neither had he been suspended or formally charged. The High Court had also observed that mere pendency of preliminary investigation cannot be a ground for denial of promotion. The High Court judges had said that if the allegations were really serious, the authorities had the power to suspend the officer, which they did not exercise in this case. The Supreme Court has now upheld the Delhi High Court’s decision. Sameer Wankhede, a 2008 batch IRS officer, gained national attention during his tenure as the zonal director of NCB Mumbai, especially for high-profile drug investigations like the 2021 Cordelia Cruz case. However, his tenure also witnessed significant scrutiny, political controversies and numerous complaints leading to departmental and criminal inquiries.
Maharashtra
Bandra Garib Nagar demolition drive: Case registered against account holder for spreading rumours on X account, accused of spreading religious hatred

Mumbai: Cyber Police has claimed to have registered a case against an X account holder for spreading rumours about demolition work in Mumbai’s Bandra Garib Nagar. According to details, a rumour was spread on an X account yesterday afternoon that there would be riots and violence during the demolition work in Bandra the next day as well. Cyber Bandra has registered a case and started an investigation after the X account holder is accused of spreading hatred and unrest between two communities. The police are investigating the matter further.
Mumbai Police has appealed to citizens not to share any controversial and objectionable content on social media. Action will be taken against those who spread misleading propaganda and baseless rumors on social media. Along with this, the police have also requested to be careful in using social media. The police have asked citizens not to spread unverified information on social media without any verification. If anyone publishes such content or spreads it on social media, action will be taken against him. After this action by Mumbai Police, monitoring has also been started on social media. A rumor was spread on X that the situation in Bandra once again deteriorated after Friday prayers and the police had resorted to lathicharge. The police have taken action on this and a case has been registered on this X account.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Three gangsters arrested for selling weapons, major operation by Crime Branch, who is investigating the criminal activities of the three

Mumbai: The Mumbai Crime Branch’s Anti-Money Laundering Squad has claimed to have arrested three criminals who were coming to sell weapons in Mumbai. Mumbai Crime Branch received information that three people were going to sell weapons near the public toilet on P. D. Mello Road near St. George’s Hospital in Mumbai. On this basis, the Crime Branch laid a trap here and claimed to have arrested the three and recovered three country-made pistol magazines and 45 live cartridges from their possession. All three have criminal cases registered against them. A murder case is also registered against them. Along with this, it is being investigated where these three got this pistol from and to whom they were going to sell it. Which gang do they belong to and who was their target. Along with this, it is also being investigated whether these miscreants are related to Lawrence Bishnoi or any other gang. Mumbai Police has registered a case against them under the Arms Act and the Mumbai Police Act for illegal sale of weapons. The three have been identified as 24-year-old Ghola Arbaaz Jhalawar, 34-year-old Jashanpreet Mangal Singh and 24-year-old Sukhwinder. The police have started further investigation in this case. Accused number one Arbaaz Jhalawar and Sukhwinder are absconding in a murder case since 2022. In this case, the police have arrested the accused and started investigation. This information was given by DCP Detection Raj Tilak Roshan at a press conference here. He said that this action has been taken on the instructions of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti. Meanwhile, further investigation is underway in this matter.
Maharashtra
Correction made by the Municipal Corporation in the application form for fire safety approval, important decision of the Additional Municipal Commissioner

Necessary amendments have been made regarding Mumbai Fire Safety. Necessary amendments have been made in the relevant forms to clarify that “Temporary Fire Safety Approval” is a recommendation given at the stage of approval of building plan under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 (Amendment 2026) and is not a “Fire Safety Certificate”. Accordingly, revised application forms have been prepared for new/altered construction, construction of additions/conversions, repair matters, final approval of fire safety as well as temporary constructions, this was informed by Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwani Joshi.
Under the Maharashtra Fire Prevention and Life Safety Measures Act, 2006 (Amendment 2026), “Temporary Fire Safety Approval” is a recommendation given at the time of approval of the design of a building and before the actual construction commences, regarding compliance with fire prevention and life safety measures required under the Act. However, it has been found that “Temporary Fire Safety Approval” is in fact only a recommendation in nature, but is being treated as a “Fire Safety Certificate”. Therefore, necessary amendments have been made in the relevant form to clearly state the nature, purpose and its statutory limits and scope of the Temporary Fire Safety Approval. As per the said amendment, the above Fire Safety Approval shall be granted in accordance with the points and terms and conditions mentioned therein. Revised forms have been prepared in this regard. Changes have been made in the provisions of Provisional Fire Safety Approval for New/Altered Construction (N.C.O.), Provisional Fire Safety Approval for Additional/Alternate Construction (A.A.O.), Provisional Fire Safety Approval for Repairs in Additional/Alternate Construction, Fire Safety Approval for Fire AMP. Repairs in New/Modified Construction (N.C.A.), Final Fire Safety Approval and Provisional Fire Safety Approval for Temporary Constructions (T.C.) etc. Architects, Licensed Surveyors, Developers may take note of this, Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Dr. Ashwini has appealed. Besides, Joshi has directed that the revised application forms be made available on the Municipal Corporation’s website https://www.mcgm.gov.in/irj/portal/anonymous immediately.
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