A three-day notice will be given before taking action against Wankhede

Relief from NCB to NCB officer

Disposal of application of NCB officer seeking protection against arrest after assurance of State Government

Mumbai: The Bombay High Court on Thursday dismissed a petition filed by Sameer Wankhede, zonal director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), seeking protection against his arrest. The probe is still at a preliminary stage and he will be given three days' notice before taking any drastic action, the court said after the Maharashtra government submitted its application.

NCB official Wankhede, who is probing a case registered against him for raiding a cruise ship, had applied to the High Court to restrain the police from arresting him. Wankhede's lawyer Nya. Jamdar and Nya. Kotwal had applied for relief before the bench.

In the petition, Wankhede said the state government was personally targeting him. I'm worried they'll arrest me. No drastic action will be taken. He said an application had been made for such interim protection.

On behalf of the Maharashtra government, the public prosecutor said that the police had received four complaints and a preliminary investigation was underway to ascertain their veracity. The court dismissed the plea, assuring the public prosecutor that he would be given three days' notice before the police take any action.

In three days they will be able to challenge the action by applying to the court. Wankhede had to apply for protection in court after police launched an investigation into two complaints against Nationalist Congress Party (NCB) leader and Minister of State Nawab Malik and an NCB official.