Adverse remarks against DDG Gyaneshwar in Aryan's case

The Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT), New Delhi, has dismissed the review petition filed by Deputy Director General (DDG) Gyaneshwar Singh, the head of the Special Enquiry Team (SET) of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB). The decision comes in the wake of the controversial

CBI

FIR against Indian Revenue Service officer and former NCB Zonal Director,

Sameer Wankhede

.

The

SET report

, based on which the CBI initiated the FIR against

Wankhede

, has been declared unlawful, and adverse remarks have been passed against

Gyaneshwar Singh

by the CAT.
The case has attracted widespread attention since the CBI registered a case against

Sameer

Wankhede and four others for allegedly demanding a hefty sum of Rs 25 crore as a bribe from actor Shah Rukh Khan. The bribe was purportedly sought in exchange for assisting Khan's son,

Aryan Khan

, in a high-profile drug seizure case from 2021.
In light of the allegations, the CBI conducted searches at 29 places linked to Sameer Wankhede in Mumbai, Delhi, Kanpur, and other locations. The CBI's investigation also alleged that Wankhede, along with two former NCB officials and some private individuals, had already collected Rs 25 lakh of the demanded Rs 25 crore bribe.
However, the latest development in this case involves the SET report, prepared under the leadership of DDG Gyaneshwar Singh. The CAT has found this report to be unlawful and has passed adverse remarks against Singh, casting doubt on the credibility of the investigation.

Gyaneshwar Singh had filed a review petition before a double bench of CAT in an attempt to challenge the adverse remarks and the findings against him. Unfortunately for Singh, the review petition was dismissed today by CAT, delivering what seems to be a significant setback for him and a victory for Sameer Wankhede.
In a related development, Sameer Wankhede has faced additional challenges as reports emerged that he received death threats over the phone earlier this week, allegedly from an extremist based in Bangladesh. Concerned about his safety, Wankhede promptly informed the Mumbai Police Commissioner and the local police station near his permanent residence in Mumbai. Wankhede is currently stationed in Chennai, and authorities have launched a probe into the threats to ensure his security.

This case continues to be a focal point of intense scrutiny and debate, with both the legality of the CBI's investigation and the safety of the involved parties becoming pressing issues as the matter unfolds.