Advocate Arshad Shaikh, appearing for Dhyandev Wankhede, father of NCB Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede, has submitted 28 annexed documents of his client in the Bombay High Court to substantiate their claim that NCP leader Nawab Malik’s remarks, insinuations, imputation etc that he made against his family in whatsoever way— in writing, oral, press releases, interviews and likes were defamatory in nature.
Advocate Arshad Shaikh submitted the caste certificate of Dhyandev Wankhede in the court in which it was mentioned that the latter belonged to the Hindu Mahar caste, which is listed as scheduled caste in 16 states including Maharashtra.
Adv Arshad Shaikh: I have annexed the caste certificate (showing Mahar Caste) #SameerWankhede #NawabMalik #BombayHighCourt
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) November 12, 2021
Besides the caste certificate, Shaikh submitted the school leaving certificate of Sameer Wankhede in the Bombay HC that showed his father’s name as Dhyandeo and his caste as Mahar.
Shaikh: The school leaving certificate of Sameer Wankhede shows his father’s name as Dnyandeo and that caste is Mahar.#SameerWankhede #NawabMalik #BombayHighCourt
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) November 12, 2021
This came in response to Nawab Malik’s ad hominem attacks against NCB officer Wankhede, where he had questioned his caste and religion besides the integrity of Sameer Wankhede and his family members.
As per a birth certificate released by Nawab Malik earlier, Sameer Wankhede was a Muslim by birth but appeared for civil services examination in the reserved category as Scheduled Caste and became the IRS. As per Malik, Wankhede forged his birth certificate to pass the exams and land a job through reservations.
The annexed documents submitted by Advocate Arshad Shaikh in the Bombay HC included Dhyandev Wankhede’s passport, caste and birth certificates, degree certificate, mark sheets, PAN cards- old and new, Aadhar Card, election card, amongst others.
The documents were submitted while Bombay High Court was hearing out the defamation suit filed by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede’s father, Dhyandev, against Maharashtra cabinet minister Nawab Malik.
The suit is filed by Wankhede’s father seeking Rs. 1.25 crore in damages for defaming him and his family, and interim directions to restrain Malik from posting anything “defamatory.”
On Monday the Bombay High Court had asked Wankhede to prove that Nawab Malik’s tweets are false. The court had also asked the NCP leader to demonstrate he verified the information against the Wankhedes before posting or giving interviews.
In a point by point rebuttal, Advocate Arshad Shaikh produced 28 documents that further attested how Nawab Malik had meted out false allegations to tarnish the image of the Wankhedes. Advocate Arshad Shaikh told the court that the documents submitted by his client, like the caste certificate and passport, prove that his name has always been ‘Dhyandeo’ and not ‘Dawood’ as was claimed by Nawab Malik.
The certificate which is a photocopy has an asterisk on Dawood. So that document which he is relying on has been rectified. And there are 35 other documents to show the name, submitted Advocate Arshad Shaikh in court adding that the birth certificate has the date December 31, 1971, mentioned, whereas his birth year is 1979.
Shaikh: The birth certificate has date 31.12.1971, my birth is of 1979. #SameerWankhede #NawabMalik #BombayHighCourt
— Bar & Bench (@barandbench) November 12, 2021
On his part, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik has told the Bombay High Court that he had “reasonably verified” the documents and information relating to Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede before putting it out in the public domain via his Twitter handle.
Nawab Malik has been constantly making allegations on the personal and professional life of Sameer Wankhede and his family right after he arrested star kid Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan in the Cordelia Cruise drugs bust case on October 2.
On November 7, Dhyandev Wankhede, father of NCB Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede finally filed a defamation case against the Maharashtra government minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik for maligning the image of his family by making false allegations.
