The National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) has stated that former Narcotics Control Bureau zonal director for Mumbai, Sameer Wankhede prima facie “belongs to the Scheduled Caste (SC)” as per the available documents, but maintained that the final report of the district caste certificate scrutiny committee is awaited.
On Wankhede’s claim of harassment, the NCSC has recommended registration of an FIR under relevant sections and stated that the investigation should be conducted by a police officer, not below the rank of assistant commissioner of police. The NCSC said that a copy of FIR along with the Action Taken Report be submitted to the commission within seven days, failing which an emergent hearing may be fixed by it.
Fighting allegations raised by Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik that Wankhede had forged documents to secure a government job, the officer had last November presented his original caste papers to prove that he is a Dalit to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes chairperson Vijay Sampla.
The NCSC also observed that the matter is investigated by lower rank police officers and the constitution of the special investigation team by the Mumbai police is not in accordance with the provisions of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989 (as amended). The commission recommended that the SIT be dissolved immediately as there is no provision in the Act concerned.
