Sameer Wankhede seeks more time to show caste validity certificate

NCB officer Sameer Wankhede has sought more time from the Mumbai district caste certificate scrutiny committee to submit his caste validity certificate. The zonal director of the Narcotics Control Bureau has been accused of submitting incorrect caste information to the government. Wankhede and the complainant were to attend a hearing by the committee on Monday.

Wankhede's caste certificate has been under the scanner since Maharashtra cabinet minister Nawab Malik shared a copy of his purported birth certificate showing his religion as Muslim. The debate over his caste certificate got more attention after it was found that Wankhede's school leaving certificate had recorded his religion as Muslim and father's name as Dawood Wankhede. However, the officer submitted what he claimed was a copy of his school leaving certificate that has no mention of his religion but shows his caste as SC - Mahar community.

NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede

"Today we appeared before the committee and his [Wankhede] physical presence was not required. We sought time and the next hearing is scheduled for December 28. We have been asked to submit the caste validity certificate which we will submit in the coming days," said advocate Ramachandra Rane, representing Wankhede.

Wankhede came under intense media scrutiny after minister Malik levelled several allegations, including extortion, against him following the arrest of actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan in the drugs-on-cruise case. The NCB has taken away the probe into the case from the officer.

Advocate Nitin Satpute, who appeared for complainant Ashok Kambale, said, "It was a joint hearing which was supposed to have happened on Monday but the opposite party sought more time and they have asked to submit certain documents including caste validity certificate."

Caste certificates are issued by the collector but one is required to have a validity certificate as well. "Once you get the caste certificate, it has to be verified by the scrutiny committee, which checks if any document has been forged to get the caste certificate. Before issuing a certificate, the committee also interviews the person. Afte you answer all the questions to the satisfaction of the committee, they issue a caste certificate," said a constable from Mumbai police who holds an SC certificate.

"If the caste validity certificate is not there, then the scrutiny committee can cancel the certificate under the scanner and take legal action. But if the validity certificate is available, then the matter goes to the high court," Satpute told mid-day.