Sameer Wankhede moves HC, seeks independent probe against Nawab Malik 

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) candidate Nawab Malik. File
| Photo Credit: ANI

Former zonal director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Sameer Wankhede moved the Bombay High Court on Thursday (November 22, 2024) to transfer the probe into an atrocities case against NCP leader Nawab Malik to an independent investigation agency. The petition, likely to be heard on November 28, has requested the court to transfer the probe to the CBI or to a court-monitored team. 

In the petition, the 43-year-old additional commissioner in the Directorate General of Taxpayer Services has alleged that police inaction has caused him and his family severe mental distress and humiliation.  

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“That the lackadaisical approach of the police machinery has caused grave injustice to the pain and mental distress suffered by the petitioner and his family members on being humiliated and defamed based on their caste and race. Therefore, the petitioner is seeking transfer of the investigation to an independent investigation agency and / or court-monitored investigation on the following amongst other grounds which are urged without prejudice to one other,” the petition said.  

The petitioner stated that he is an Indian Revenue Service officer and has diligently dedicated his life for the betterment of the country by mandating and upholding the law and order.  

In August 2022, Mr. Wankhede had lodged a complaint against Mr. Malik under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act at the Goregaon police, accusing him of making remarks about his caste during press interviews and on social media.

The petition said that after Mr. Malik’s son-in-law Sameer Khan was arrested in a drugs case in 2021, the NCP leader ran a campaign to defame Mr. Wankhede and his family members. Following this, he had filed a complaint with the Scheduled Caste Commission and also issued a defamation suit against Mr. Malik. However, the leader has neither been arrested in the case nor has any chargesheet been filed. 

In 2021, Mr. Wankhede’s father had filed a defamation suit in the High Court against Mr. Malik and the court had then directed the leader to desist from making any further remarks.

“With his muscle power, influence and money power, he is controlling the state police machinery and continues to commit further offence,” Mr. Wankhede said in the petition.