Former zonal director of NCB is accused of fudging age to get liquor license
Former zonal director of NCB is accused of fudging age to get liquor license
The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest till February 28 to Samir Wankhede, IRS officer and former regional director of Narcotics Control Bureau, for allegedly misappropriating his age to obtain a liquor licence.
A division bench of Justice SS Shinde and Justice NR Borkar was hearing Mr Wankhede’s plea to quash the case. It said he was a minor when the alleged offense took place. The incident happened in 1997 and an FIR was registered in 2022. The counsel appearing for him said that it is clear that the matter was politically motivated and sought protection from arrest.
Public Prosecutor Aruna Pai said a notice was issued against Mr. Wankade under section 41A (notice to appear before a police officer) of the Code of Criminal Procedure. Where was the question of arrest, he said.
The court said that Mr. Wankhede should go and appear before the police. Senior advocate Abad Ponda for Mr Wankhede said the court should record that till then his client will not be arrested.
bench unhappy
Another High Court bench expressed displeasure over a petition filed by Mr Wankhede being listed for hearing without the permission of the court. The petition challenges the order of the Thane Excise Collector to cancel the liquor license of his restaurant and bar in Navi Mumbai, and seeks restoration of the cancelled licence.
A division bench of Justice Gautam Patel and Justice Madhav Jamdar declined to hear the petition saying there was no urgency in it.
“How did this petition get listed today when it was not mentioned before us on Monday? We have not allowed this,” the court said. “A poor person files a petition and their case is never taken up for hearing, and when an influential person files a petition, their petition is immediately listed for hearing. What is the grave urgency? Heaven no. will fall.”