Mumbai, Nov 19: The Bombay High Court on Wednesday refused to grant an urgent hearing in a petition filed by former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede challenging the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) order dismissing his plea last week.
Promotion Delay Cited as Reason for Urgency
Wankhede’s advocate sought urgent hearing stating that the officer’s promotion was downgraded due to the case. Officers of his batch were due for promotion and the departmental promotion committee is due to send the recommendations in December, said the advocate.
“Urgency in the matter is that this entire batch of 2008 IRS officers is due to be promoted to the level of commission in the month of December. Before that the departmental promotion committee is to send remarks to the cabinet committee, including the prime minister, which is to finalize the promotions,” advocate said. He added that the officer’s “entire service of 17 years is hinging upon this remark, which is made beyond the corners of law”.
The bench, however, refused urgent hearing saying: “We see no urgency in the matter. Let it come up for hearing in due course of time.”
Wankhede’s Challenge to APAR Remarks
Wankhede had approached CAT seeking removal of remarks made by his reviewing officer in his Annual Performance Appraisal Report (APAR) for July 2021 to January 2022, during the period he led the controversial cruise raid. Although no drugs were found on Aryan Khan, others accompanying him allegedly carried small quantities.
CBI Case Over Alleged ₹25-Crore Bribe Demand
Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has registered a case against Wankhede for allegedly demanding a Rs 25-crore bribe from actor Shah Rukh Khan in exchange for leniency towards his son Aryan Khan, who was arrested in the 2021 cruise ship drug case.
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