Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede on Tuesday said Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik is spreading rumours and lacks correct information, comments coming after the politician raised the issue of the IRS officer's "expensive" lifestyle.
Sameer Wankhede's sister Yasmeen and his wife also came out in support of the officer after Malik launched a fresh attack on him, this time questioning his lifestyle and use of "expensive" items.
Yasmeen Wankhede said Malik should get his "mental health" checked.
Stepping up his attack on Sameer Wankhede, Malik earlier in the day accused him of extorting crores and wearing "expensive" clothes beyond the reach of an honest and upright officer.
Malik claimed the officer wore a trouser worth Rs 1 lakh, a shirt costing over Rs 70,000 and watches worth Rs 25 lakh to 50 lakh.
Asked about Malik's claims, Sameer Wankhede said, "He should go to the Lokhandwala area and check what are the prices of my clothes. He is spreading all rumours, he lacks knowledge and he should find out correct information about things." The NCB Zonal Director said he is not obliged to reply to Malik.
"Who is he that I should reply to him every time. I am a government servant, I will reply to my government," he said.
Hitting back at the minister, Yasmeen Wankhede, a lawyer by profession, said Malik's son-in-law moves around in expensive vehicles like Jaguar, a luxury car brand, but no one asks any question about his lifestyle.
Taking to media persons, she said items used by her brother were gifted to him by her late mother.
"My mummy has gifted him all these watches and to me also... these were purchased around 17 years back. My brother saves money the whole year to do shopping one day...he wears these cloths for entire year. He makes a list of what he wants and then goes for shopping," she said.
Yasmeen Wankhede said the minister should explain the lifestyle of his son-in-law.
"I have seen pictures of Nawab Malik's son-in-law, but no one is asking him about his heavy lifestyle. He is seen in expensive vehicles like Jaguar...from where he get such kind of money?" she asked.
"Women who give him answers with all justification he calls them 'lady don'... he is mentally unstable and has no work. He has nothing to do with social work, he should take a break and get his mental health checked," Yasmeen Wankhede said.
Sameer Wankhede's wife Kranti Redkar also came out in support of her husband.
Sharing information about her husband's property, Redkar tweeted, " Sameer's entire property belongs to her mother and it not about 50 to 100 crore. Sameer has such properties when he was just 15 years old." Redkar said the 2008-batch IRS officer has been sharing details of his properties with the government as per service rules.
"As per rule Sameer is showing his entire documents to government. Sameer's property is not disproportionate," she said.
Redkar, an actress, used a Hindi proverb to take potshots at Malik without naming him.
"Sawan Ke Andhe Ko Haryali Dikhti Hai (used for people who fail to see reality)," she quipped.
Malik has been making a series of allegations against Sameer Wankhede, from forging documents to get a government job to lying about his religion to carrying out "bogus" drug raids. The IRS officer has denied all the allegations.
