Bombay HC Grants Relief to Sameer Wankhede in Drugs Case

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Monday granted temporary relief to Indian revenue officer Sameer Wankhede in the Sushant Singh Rajput drug case. The court directed the authorities to not take any coercive action against him till April 10.

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Sameer Wankhede challenged the notices issued by the NCB and the preliminary investigation was initiated accordingly in the high court. A bench headed by Justice. Revati Mohite-Dere and Justice Manjusha Deshpande directed the NCB to file its reply in this regard. The NCB counsel sought time from the court to seek instructions from the NCB Director General. The court posted the matter for hearing on April 10 and directed the NCB not to take strict action against Wankhede till then.

The NCB issued notices to Wankhede in two cases probed by him. The NCB has said that apart from the investigation against Rhea Chakraborty and her brother Showik Chakraborty after the death of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, there were irregularities in Wankhede's investigation into the possession of cocaine by a Nigerian national.

What about Wankhede's petition?
An inquiry has been initiated against former minister Nawab Malik based on anonymous complaints.  Malik's son-in-law was arrested in a drug case. In his petition, Wankhede claimed that he was seeking revenge.

In his petition, Wankhede said the investigation amounted to handing over weapons to those whom he has made accused. Wankhede has sought quashing of the notice issued by the NCB on November 21, 2023, regarding the preliminary inquiry.