Sameer Wankhede - Biography
On December 14, 1979, Sameer was born in the Indian state of Maharashtra. He was educated in Mumbai from an early age, and he earned a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in history after that. He excelled in school and opted to take the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) entrance exam. By demonstrating that, his decision was correct and passed the UPSC examination in 2008 with dedication and commitment.
He was the first Indian Revenue Officer (IRS) appointed after passing the UPSC examination. Following that, in the early stages of his career, Sameer worked as a deputy commissioner of the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) at Mumbai Airport. While working as a customs officer in the Mumbai airport's customs department, Sameer ensured that anyone bringing products from another country paid the applicable tax. He had a reputation for refusing to clear anyone or any celebrity unless he had paid the foreign goods tax.
In 2010, while working for the Maharashtra Service Tax Department, Wankhede launched a tax evasion lawsuit against 2000 people, including 200 celebrities. His courageous move was praised, and Wankhede was able to clear the case. Government revenue grew by over 87 crores. Who can forget the 2011 Cricket World Cup, held in India but Sameer had to forfeit the trophy since it was made of gold and the ICC Cricket Council Association had failed to pay the customs fee? The association securely returned the World Cup trophy after the association deposited the customs charge.
In 2013, Indian pop star Mika Singh was stopped by the Wankhede at the airport while he was returning from Bangkok. Mika Singh handed up to $ 11000 in foreign currency and a liquor bottle worth more than $ 1000 during the check. If an Indian travels from another country and possesses more than $5,000 in foreign currency, he must declare it to customs.
Mika was detained for nearly 4 hours due to this, after which he was granted release with a fine of Rs. 1 lakh. Following his promotion to deputy commissioner in the Air Intelligence Unit, Sameer was assigned to the National Investigation Agency as an additional special agent (NIA). He was then promoted to Joint Commissioner of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). He is in full force now that he is the Zonal Director of the Department of Narcotics, having confiscated drug consignments worth over Rs. 17000 crores.
In addition, he has attacked the homes of famous Bollywood stars, including Vivek Oberoi, Anurag Kashyap, and Ram Gopal Varma. Following that, when brought the drug angle to light in the suicide case of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh Rajput, the NCB began probing the entire matter, leading to the arrest of numerous drug peddlers.
After that, they arrested the drug dealers, and the names of several Bollywood celebrities started to circulate, prompting the NCB to call everyone and question them and arrest many of them.
Aside from that, Sameer Wankhede personally questioned and interrogated some of the actors and actresses linked to the Bollywood drug network, including Rakul Preet Singh, Riya Chakraborty, Sarah Ali Khan, and Deepika Padukone. The NCB then jailed comedian Bharti Singh and her spouse, Harsh, in November 2020 for possessing and smoking cannabis. They used Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act to apprehend him. Bharti's house was afterwards raided by NCB, which discovered 86 grams of cannabis, and Bharti and his husband confessed to using drugs during interrogation. The NCB then tightened the noose on the searches in Mumbai, and Wankhede and his crew apprehended Harris Khan, a 25-year-old drug dealer working in the Bandra Reclamation area of Mumbai. Harris used to work for Dawood Ibrahim's associate Chinku Pathan, according to NCB.
Harris is accused of murder, kidnapping, and intimidation in over 21 criminal cases. Based on information obtained during interrogation, NCB searched a bakery store in Malad in June 2021, seizing ten cannabis-based brownie cakes and 35 grams of marijuana.
NCB arrested three people in one raid, including a lady and narcotics seller Jagat Chaurasia. Sameer and his crew discovered 125 grams of patients during the raid on accused Jagat's home. During a subsequent raid in July 2021, NCB apprehended 25-year-old professional psychologist Rahmin Charaniya, selling a mixed brownie pack of hashish, charas, and ganja.
Sameer Wankhede is an IRS officer from the 2008 batch who has received numerous honors. Sameer has been in the news as the NCB's Zonal Director, partly due to claims made by Nawab Malik, the Maharashtra government's minister, in the case of Aryan Khan. Mr. Wankhede worked for the NCB until December 31, 2021, when he was reassigned to DRI for administrative reasons. Sameer Wankhede seems to attract controversy regularly. Aryan Khan's arrest in the cruise narcotics case on October 2, 2021, was also highly contentious for him. Mr. Wankhede has led numerous raids targeting narcotics dealers in Mumbai and the surrounding areas. From September 2020 forward, he has led NCB in the Sushant Singh Rajput suicide case.
Family:
Sameer Wankhede grew up in a Dalit Marathi household in the middle class. He and his dad are Hindus who worship Hindu gods and goddesses. Sameer's mother, Late Zaheda Wankhede, was a Muslim who passed away around six years ago.
Dnyandeo Kachurji Wankhede is Sameer's father's surname. He was a retired Maharashtra police officer. In addition to his father, Sameer has a sister, Yasmeen Wankhede, who works as a criminal lawyer. Sameer's marital status is that he is married. In his life, he has been through two marriages. Dr. Shabana Qureshi was Sameer Wankhede's first wife, whom he married on November 12, 2006, and with whom he later divorced in 2016. From his first marriage with Shabana Qureshi, Sameer has a son named Athier Wankhede.
Sameer's friendship with Marathi television actress Kranti Redkar grew after he divorced his first wife, and the two eventually married. Sameer Wankhede married Kranti Redkar for the second time on March 29, 2017. Zyda and Ziya, Sameer and Kranti's twin daughters,
Career:
After qualifying for UPSC, CSE 2007, Sameer was assigned to IRS(C&CE) by CBEC (now CBIC). He worked in the Air Intelligence Unit (AIU) of CSMI Airport in Mumbai from 2010 to 2013. He took on the high and mighty who attempted to avoid taxes as the leader of the AIU customs unit. At the International Airport, Sameer booked various gold and currency seizure cases. His first job as a civil servant put him on the map. Sameer was delegated to the National Investigation Agency as an additional Special Agent after serving in the AIU. After being promoted, he returned to DRI (Directorate of Revenue Intelligence), a leading investigation agency under CBIC.
Awards and Honours to Mr. Wankhede
Sameer Wankhede has received various accolades and honors for his work. Governor of Maharashtra and Goa Bhagat Singh Koshiyari recently presented him with the Sanman 2021 award. He's also been awarded the Jamadar Bapu Lakshman Award for "Outstanding Public Service Contribution."He was also given a Directorate-General Disc in August of the same year. In 2021, Sameer was one of 152 investigators to earn the "Union Home Minister's Medal for Excellence in Investigation."
Net Worth of Sameer Wankhede: The Rumours & Facts
There is currently no information available about Sameer Wankhede's total net worth. Sameer works as a Zonal Director for the Narcotics Control Bureau, and he is a federal government official. He earns around $80,000 every month for his pay, and he is also a successful businessman in Mumbai.
Nawab Malik alleges that Sameer Wankhede's net worth has attracted public notice. Minister Malik states that Sameer Wankhede wears Rs. 1 lakh trousers, Rs. 70K shirts, and Rs. 25-30 lakh watches. As a result, it is critical to delve into the subject of Sameer Wankhede's net worth.
There are conflicting reports about Sameer Wankhede's property and net worth. However, according to ABP live, Mr Sameer holds a 4-acre ancestral estate in Maharashtra's Washim district. Sameer owns two flats, every 800 square feet, and was owned by her mother in 1994 and 1999.
He also owns a 1000-square-foot office that he received from his aunt. Mr Wankhede also owns an 1100 square foot land parcel in Navi Mumbai. In 2016, he purchased the third flat with revenues from a flat held by Kranti and LIC money. Apart from that, Sameer's mum gave him a Rs 55,000 watch.
Sameer Wankhede's net worth could be about Rs 15 crore based on property values in Mumbai and the surrounding areas. If the publicly accessible information concerning Sameer's property is accurate, charges that he amassed disproportionate assets are unfounded. According to the conclusions of the state police, allegations of extortion have no merit.