Sameer Wankhede’s father files ₹1.25 crore defamation suit against Nawab Malik

The Bombay high court (HC) permitted Dnyandev Wankhede, father of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede, to file a ₹1.25 crore defamation suit against Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik

The Bombay high court (HC) permitted Dnyandev Wankhede, father of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede, to file a ₹1.25 crore defamation suit against Maharashtra minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Nawab Malik for posting what he termed as “derogatory comments on social media against my son and family.”

While justifying the need for the defamation suit, Dnyandev’s lawyers stressed that Nawab Malik had been questioning the religious beliefs of the Sameer Wankhede and family, though they were Hindus, and by calling them frauds, Malik was maligning the family’s image.

On Friday, Wankhede’s lawyers Arshad Shaikh, Ranjit Agase, Krishnan Iyer and Saurabh Tamhankar informed the vacation bench of justice SJ Kathawalla that their client needed an urgent hearing on the issue and sought permission for the suit to be filed. The court permitted it and posted hearing to Monday, November 8.

Apart from seeking damages of ₹1.25 crore, the suit also seeks deletion of articles and interviews on electronic and digital platforms by Malik, his party members and aides.

The suit has also sought a permanent injunction against them from posting any comments through social media and messaging platforms as well as a temporary injunction against issuing statements and press releases containing any defamatory content against the Wankhede family.

In response, Malik said (Sameer) Wankhede or his relatives “have the right to move court against me.” He said, “I will face it in court. (Sameer) Wankhede had moved court for a gag order against me earlier, too, but did not succeed. He claimed that he demanded an SIT (Special Investigation Team) in the case, but fact is that he demanded a probe by CBI or NIA. Wankhede has been misguiding people, but truth will prevail.”

The suit states that Malik’s comments, statements and allegations levelled against Sameer Wankhede and his family was prompted by the fact that his son-in-law Sameer Khan was arrested by the NCB in January 2021 for allegedly trading in contraband material.

Dnyandev’s suit claims that oral or written interviews and statements by Malik and his family members are tortious (wrongful or bringing harm to someone) and defamatory, and that the defendants have “caused irreparable loss, damage, harm, prejudice to the name, character, reputation and societal image of plaintiff and his family members.”

While justifying the need for the suit, Dnyandev’s lawyers stressed that Malik had been questioning the religious beliefs of the Wankhedes, though they were Hindus, and by calling them frauds, Malik was maligning the family’s image. This insinuation by Malik, the suit says, was also affecting the legal practice of his daughter Yasmeen who takes up criminal cases.