Mumbai News

Sameer Wankhede moves Bombay HC against panel’s notice to cancel his second caste certificate – Times of India

File photo of Bombay high court

MUMBAI: Former NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede has moved Bombay high court to quash and set aside a show cause notice issued to him by the Mumbai District Caste Certificate Scrutiny Committee why his March 5, 2008 caste certificate should not be cancelled and confiscated.
Wankhede has challenged the April 29 notice which stated that “considering the complaints and documents etc. it proves that the non-applicant (Wankhede) belongs to “Muslim caste” and follows the ‘Muslim religion.’”
“…the entire exercise is one sided and the committee has a premeditated plan or coup to cancel and confiscate the caste certificate of the petitioner for appeasement of cabinet minister Nawab Malik,” his petition added. Malik is a complainant. He alleged that Wankhede had submitted a false and fabricated caste certificate to the Union Public Service Commission at the time of taking the central services examination and seeking appointment against a post reserved for scheduled caste.
Wankhede’s petition, filed on Wednesday through his advocate Bhushan Mahadik, states that he belongs to “Mahar community” and on the basis of his father and relatives caste certificates, he was issued a certificate on June 14, 1995 by the Mumbai collector certifying that he belongs to Mahar caste, a recognised scheduled caste. In 2008 since the caste certificate was required to be issued in a prescribed format under the prevailing law Wankhede applied again for a caste certificate. It was issued on March 5, 2008.
Wankhede has denied giving false information/ documents to obtain the caste certificate or submitting a false and fabricated certificate to UPSC. Terming the notice “illegal and arbitrary,” his petition adds that the committee issued the notice without considering his plea that Malik has no locus standi to file the complaint and is “maliciously targeting the petitioner solely to settle their personal scores” as he had arrested his son-in-law.
Stating that he is ready to face an “impartial” enquiry, Wankhede has also urged HC to set up a committee headed by a retired HC judge to enquire into his certificate or to transfer the enquiry to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. The petition is likely to be heard by the vacation court.

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Source: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/sameer-wankhede-moves-bombay-hc-against-panels-notice-to-cancel-his-second-caste-certificate/articleshow/91382190.cms