MUMBAI: The city police have informed the Bombay High Court of their decision to file a closure report citing lack of evidence in former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede's complaint against senior NCP leader Nawab Malik under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
In 2022, Wankhede filed a complaint at the suburban Goregaon police station under the Atrocities Act, alleging that Malik made defamatory remarks about him and his family based on their caste. The Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer, who is a member of the Mahar Scheduled Caste, later moved the High Court through his counsel, Rajiv Chavan, seeking the transfer of the case to the CBI due to alleged police inaction.
On January 14, additional public prosecutor S.S. Kaushik informed a division bench of Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale that the police investigation concluded with plans to file a "C-summary report." Such a report is filed when police determine there is no evidence and the case cannot be classified as true or false.
The court, in its order dated January 14 and made available recently, disposed of Wankhede's petition, stating that nothing remained for consideration in light of the police's decision. The bench noted, however, that Wankhede could challenge the closure report in the appropriate forum as per the law. The court clarified that it had not delved into the merits of the complaint or the investigation and kept all contentions open for all parties involved.
Previously, in December 2024, the High Court directed the police to investigate the case and bring it to a logical conclusion. During the probe, the police added sections 3(1)(q) and 3(1)(r) of the Atrocities Act, which relate to providing false or frivolous information to public servants to cause injury or annoyance, and intentionally insulting or intimidating members of Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes.
Wankhede alleged that Malik made defamatory remarks against him and his family through social media and interviews, questioning his caste certificate's authenticity. He further claimed that Malik launched a campaign to defame him after the NCB arrested Malik's son-in-law, Sameer Khan, in a narcotics case in 2021.
Wankhede had also filed a complaint with the Scheduled Caste Commission in October 2021, seeking action against Malik. Despite the closure report, the court emphasized that Wankhede could pursue appropriate legal remedies