India / I believe Wankhede belongs to SC community: National Commission for SC V-C

Mumbai: After meeting Narcotics Control Bureau Mumbai zone director Sameer Wankhede on Saturday, National Commission for Scheduled Castes vice-chairman Arun Halder said he thinks Sameer Wankhede indeed belongs to the Scheduled Caste. "He has denied the allegation of any religious conversion," the official said.

The commission sought a response from the Maharashtra government on Friday on the letter written by Wankhede in which he alleged harassment. “Whereas a complaint/information has been received by the National Commission of Scheduled Castes from Shri Sameer Dyandev Wankhede ..dated 26.10.2021 as enclosed and the Commission has decided to investigate/enquire into the matter in pursuance of the powers conferred upon it under Article 338 of the Constitution of India," the letter said.

The commission inquired whether any FIR has been registered in the matter. “You are requested to submit an action taken report to the undersigned within 7 days from the receipt of this notice either by fax/post/email… or in person,” the letter said.

What is the controversy over Sameer Wankhede's SC status?

Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik has accused Sameer Wankhede of forging documents and getting the SC quota in the UPSC while Wankhede, according to Nawab Malik, is a Muslim. This allegation came as part of the series of accusations the Maharashtra minister brought against Wankhede after the drugs-on-cruise case.

Wankhede refuted the allegations and clarified that his mother was a Muslim while his father is an SC and Wankhede never converted to Islam. Nawab Malik challenged Wankhede's claim by making the photos of his first wedding public. The 2006 wedding was conducted according to Islam rituals, which, as Wankhede explained, was his mother's wish. Wankhede's father Dnyandev Wankhede supported Sameer's claims and confirmed that he is an SC and he also never converted to Islam.

However, the Qazi who performed the wedding and Wankhede's former father-in-law claimed that he was a practising Muslim during the first wedding.