In a significant legal development, former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede has approached the Bombay High Court seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) or court-monitored probe into an FIR he filed in 2022 against Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik. Wankhede, an Additional Commissioner in the Directorate General of Taxpayer Services (DGTS), has alleged that the police's inaction in the matter has caused significant mental distress and humiliation to him and his family.
Wankhede, a member of the Mahar Scheduled Caste, filed an FIR with the Goregaon police station on August 14, 2022, accusing Malik under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. However, despite over a year passing since the FIR was filed, Malik has neither been arrested nor has the chargesheet been submitted. Wankhede's petition highlights the lack of action from the police despite his continuous efforts to follow up on the case.
Wankhede first rose to national prominence after he played a pivotal role in the 2021 Cordelia Cruise drug bust, where actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan was arrested. Wankhede had also arrested Malik?s son-in-law, Sameer Khan, in connection with a narcotics case. Following these events, Wankhede claims Malik launched a sustained campaign on social media and television to defame him and his family, targeting their caste and questioning the authenticity of his caste certificate.
In response to Malik's defamatory remarks, Wankhede had earlier filed a complaint with the Scheduled Caste Commission in October 2021. Despite a restraining order issued by the Bombay High Court in a separate defamation case prohibiting Malik from making further defamatory comments, Wankhede alleges that Malik continued to violate the order, with the latest instance occurring on October 27, 2024, when Malik questioned the validity of Wankhede's caste certificate.
A caste scrutiny committee had previously upheld the authenticity of Wankhede?s certificate in a detailed 91-page report, refuting the allegations made by Malik. Despite this, Wankhede claims that the state police, allegedly influenced by Malik's political connections, has been delaying the investigation and failing to include critical provisions under the SC/ST Act in the FIR.
The petition, filed through advocate Sana Khan, asserts that Malik's alleged influence over the state police machinery is preventing the case from moving forward. Wankhede contends that Malik is committing further offenses with impunity, as evidenced by his continued media appearances despite the pending investigation. Wankhede further claims that Malik's actions are politically motivated and designed to influence voters ahead of elections, with both his case and that of his cousin, Sanjay Wankhede, facing inaction from the authorities.
In his petition, Wankhede has called for the investigation to be transferred to an independent agency, such as the CBI, to ensure a fair and transparent probe. He has also demanded that the necessary provisions under the SC/ST Act be added to the FIR and that a detailed report on the investigation's progress be submitted to the court.
The Bombay High Court is expected to hear the petition on November 28, 2024. Wankhede's move has sparked political debate, with some accusing Malik of using his influence to shield himself from legal action, while others see it as an attempt by Wankhede to hold Malik accountable for his alleged defamation campaign.
This legal battle adds another layer to the ongoing political and legal tensions between the former NCB officer and the prominent NCP leader, with both sides continuing to present opposing claims in the high-profile case.
