Bombay HC Says Nawab Malik 'Wilfully Breached' Undertaking, Issues Notice

The court directed Malik to file an affidavit over his statements against NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede.

In view of the delay in the bail process involving his son-in-law Sameer Khan, Malik launched a scathing attack on the NCB on Thursday. Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday, 7 December, issued notice to Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik, and directed him to file an affidavit on why action should not be taken against him over his statements against Narcotics Control Bureau Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede.

The court's direction comes after Wankhede's father, Dhyandev Wankhede, submitted an application alleging that NCP leader Nawab Malik had made defamatory statements against the Wankhede family despite assuring the court that he would refrain from the same.

The bench, in its order on Tuesday, noted, “We are prima facie satisfied that the statement/undertaking (before HC) made by respondent (Malik) has been wilfully breached,” and scheduled a further hearing of the matter for Friday, 10 December, as per an Indian Express report.

The Defamation Suit

After Maharashtra Minister Malik made a number of contentious claims about NCB official Wankhede, including allegations of forgery of official documents concerning caste and religion, Dhyandev Wankhede had filed a defamation case against the politician.

Dhyandev Wankhede had sought Rs 1.25 crore in damages from Malik over the defamatory statements.

The plea had also requested the court to ensure that Malik deletes the contentious statements and tweets about the Wankhede family, and has also sought preventive measures for the same.

A single-judge bench of Justice Madhav J Jamdar, on 22 November, had refused to grant a blanket injunction restraining Malik, but had directed the minister to conduct a “reasonable verification” of facts before making statements about the Wankhede family.

(With inputs from The Indian Express)