People Have Right To Know How Sameer Wankhede Got His Job : Nawab Malik Tells Bombay High Court In Defamation Case

Malik refuted allegations of malice against the Wankhedes citing his criticism of the NCB's conduct, under Sameer, from November 2020, much before his son-in-law's arrest by the agency.

He alleged that NCB was targeting celebrities to seek publicity as against their duty to track down drug traffickers. Moreover, the agency seemed interested in the arresting consumers instead of affording them an opportunity to reform, he said. "I had expressed my view that drug addicts should be sent to rehab and not jail."

The affidavit was submitted by Malik to oppose interim relief to Sameer's father Dnyandeo Wankhede in the latter's Rs 1.25 crore defamation suit. Wankhede has sought to temporarily injunct and permanently injunct Malik, or anyone acting on his behalf, from posting "defamatory" remarks against them.

Last week Malik unconditionally apologized to the court for breaching an earlier undertaking that he would not post against the Wankhedes till the interim application is decided. The apology was filed in Wankhede's appeal assailing a single judge's order refusing ad-interim relief.

It may be noted that Sameer Wankhede was heading the NCB's Zonal Unit when during the Cruise Ship Drug Bust in which Aryan Khan was arrested in October, 2021. The Case was transferred to an SIT in Delhi after allegations of corruption surfaced.

Malik has alleged that Sameer Wankhede, despite being born a Muslim secured a central government job claiming to be from the Mahar scheduled caste.

In the affidavit Malik claimed suit was filed said Wankhede had filed the suit only to supress illegal acts by the father son duo, which came to light in view of evidence obtained and produced. The Wankhede's have presented a convoluted version of events and "false narrative" to mislead the court.

"The present Suit is filed with the mala fide motive to mislead this Hon'ble Court and obtain favorable orders and in that manner restrict my fundamental rights and prevent me from revealing the illegalities committed particularly by the Plaintiffs son Mr. Sameer Wankhede," the affidavit states.

Malik alleged that Wankhede is living a "dual life" as a Muslim and Hindu. "He has illegally obtained his job under Scheduled Caste" ("SC") category thereby depriving a genuine SC candidate of the opportunity of employment and livelihood by suppressing that he was born a Muslim," it adds.

The minister claims that realising the allegations are true, Sameer Wankhede has not filed any proceeding by himself and filed the present suit to institute an angle of defamation.

Documents Cite By to Show Sameer Wankhede Was Born Muslim, to Dawood Wankhede

1. Wankhede's birth report signed by his mother showing he is a Muslim and could not have been a person falling in the SC category, and father's name is Dawood Wankhede.
2. Letter by BMC from November, 2021 stating that Wankhede is Muslim by birth and in 1993 father submitted a declaration that he is Dnyandeo not Dawood. However, no change was made to the religion of Sameer Wankhede in the birth certificate.
3. Sameer Wankhede's sister – Yasmeen's - birth certificate also shows she is born Muslim.
4. Yasmeen's school leaving certificate showing Muslim.
5. Sameer Wankhede's first marriage invitation card, which mentions his name as Sameer Dawood Wankhede.
6. The NCB officer's junior school leaving certificate dated 12 July, 1986 issued by St Pauls, admission form for St Josephs High School Wadala, where father's name is mentioned as Dawood and religion Muslim.

Lastly, Malik says he has received information about at least 26 cases where raids were conducted under Sameer Wankhede. "In some cases no drugs were seized and despite the same, the NCB has alleged that some drugs were seized.. moreover quantities of drugs seized have been dishonestly inflated in other cases."

Malik also accused Wankhede's of procuring a liquor licence at 17 years of age instead of the minimum requirement of 21 years. Coincidentally, Malik says, Sameer's father was working in the Excise Department at the time.

"The license came to be issued in favor of Mr. Sameer Wankhede without noticing his age which shows a gross and deliberate lapse on the part of the Excise Department in issuing the said license. Basis such illegally procured license, Sameer Wankhede has been selling liquor at a Restaurant & Bar run by him."