Delhi High Court Sets Aside CAT Order Quashing Disciplinary Proceedings Against Sameer Wankhede In Cordelia Cruise Ship Drugs Case

The Delhi High Court on Friday set aside an order passed by the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) quashing the disciplinary proceedings against IRS officer Sameer Wankhede in the 2021 Cordelia cruise drug bust case.

A division bench comprising Justice Anil Kshetarpal and Justice Amit Mahajan allowed the plea filed by the Central Government challenging the order passed by the Tribunal on January 19.

“The petition is allowed,” the Court said while pronouncing the verdict.

Vide the impugned order, the CAT had set aside the charge memorandum issued to Wankhede, holding that the departmental action was vitiated by grave procedural impropriety, malice in law and abuse of process.

Wankhede had contended that the departmental proceedings stem from the same set of allegations that form the basis of a criminal case registered against him by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) regarding the Cordelia Cruise case.

According to him, the CBI case was based on a Special Enquiry Team (SET) report, even though the enquiry and the findings in the SET report were held by the courts to be vitiated by the inclusion of Mr Gyaneshwar Singh on the SET, despite his supervisory role.

The Charge Memorandum of August 18, 2025, was framed relying on a call transcript between Wankhede and a former Deputy Legal Advisor (DLA), which Wankhede himself had placed before the Bombay High Court in his defence.

While deciding the case, the CAT noted Wankhede's "exceptional career profile" and recorded that he had received several accolades during his service.

The CAT held that the decision to proceed with the impugned departmental action was vitiated by grave procedural impropriety, malice in law, and abuse of process.

It was observed that the manner in which the proceedings were initiated reflected a predetermined mindset, non-application of mind and an overzealous alacrity, suggesting that the respondents were bent upon penalising the applicant irrespective of the merits of the case.

Title: Union of India v. Sameer Wankhede