The Supreme Court has upheld the Delhi High Court’s decision allowing the promotion of IRS officer Sameer Wankhede, rejecting objections raised over allegations linked to the 2021 Cordelia cruise drug case. The ruling brings closure to a long-standing dispute in which Wankhede’s promotion had been kept in abeyance due to complaints alleging corruption and procedural lapses during his tenure with the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB).

The complaints stemmed from allegations that officers involved in the NCB’s search and seizure operation on the Cordelia cruise ship abused their official position and entered into a criminal conspiracy with private individuals. The operation had led to the arrest of several people, including Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, on allegations related to drug abuse. It was further alleged that an extortion demand of ₹25 crore was made from the family of one accused, later settled at ₹18 crore, with ₹50 lakh purportedly accepted as bribe money.

In view of these allegations, the report recommending Wankhede’s promotion was kept in a sealed cover, effectively stalling his career progression. However, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) later ruled in his favour, a decision that was subsequently upheld by the Delhi High Court.

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The High Court observed that as of August 2025, no departmental proceedings were pending against Wankhede, and neither the Central Bureau of Investigation nor the Enforcement Directorate had filed a charge sheet. The court also noted that Wankhede was neither suspended nor formally charged, holding that the mere pendency of preliminary investigations could not justify denial of promotion.

Referring to the Supreme Court’s precedent in the K.V. Jankiraman case, the High Court had stated that if the allegations were considered serious, the authorities had the option to suspend the officer, which they had not exercised. The Supreme Court has now affirmed this reasoning, upholding the High Court’s decision.

Sameer Wankhede, a 2008-batch IRS officer, rose to national prominence as NCB Mumbai’s zonal director after leading several high-profile narcotics cases, including the Cordelia cruise investigation. While his tenure brought him recognition, it also attracted intense scrutiny, political controversy, and multiple complaints that resulted in both departmental and criminal enquiries.

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