Express News Service
MUMBAI: After NCP minister Nawab Malik’s allegations against NCB Director Sameer Wankhede for illegally obtaining the bogus Hindu scheduled caste certificate, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) on Sunday met Sameer and his family at their residence to check their certificates.
Earlier, NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede had denied the allegations levelled against him by Nawab Malik. He also clarified that his father is a Hindu while his late mother was a Muslim. “I got married under a special marriage act. I am entitled to get my father’s caste benefits,” he added.
NCP minister Nawab Malik said he is 100% sure that Sameer Wankhede has forged his caste certificate. He also said the national commission of SC has no right and jurisdiction to check and verify the caste certificate that is done by the state caste verifications committee.
Following the allegations, Sameer Wankhede had registered a complaint with the NCSC and the commission initiated an inquiry into the matter. He also presented his caste certificates before the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) on Sunday.
After meeting Sameer Wankhede and his family at their residence, NCSC Vice Chairmen Arun Haldar said, “An officer cannot give a forged certificate to a commission. I have seen the certificates and after seeing them I think they are genuine.”
Haldar further said that he heard the news about how some quarters were trying to conspire against Sameer Wankhede.
“But the commission is here to safeguard a Scheduled Caste family. That’s why this commission was formed in the first place. If we find that some people are involved in this conspiracy, then under Article 338, we will put the Prevention of Atrocities Act on them,” he said.
Nawab Malik had alleged that Sameer Wankhede is a Muslim by birth and had forged his caste certificate in order to qualify for the civil services under the Scheduled Caste quota.
Sameer’s wife Kranti Redkar said that the officials saw the original documents and they were “satisfied” and “happy”.
“Earlier, we had shown the xerox and attested copies but today they had the chance to see the originals. Now it’s time to investigate those who levelled allegations against us,” she said.
Earlier in the day, Kranti Redkar, along with Sameer Wankhede’s father, met Union minister Ramdas Athawale and showed him various documents. The minister said that he would support the Wankhede family.
Sameer Wankhede’s father earlier said that he’s a Dalit and follows Babasaheb Ambedkar. He also requested Maharashtra Cabinet minister Nawab Malik not to malign his family with wrong accusations.
Wankhede was at the forefront of the investigation in the Mumbai cruise drugs case involving Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan.
