Court Puts Aside Defamation Suit

Dnyandev Wankhede had filed a defamation case towards Nawab Malik for his Tweets.

Mumbai:

Anti-drugs officer Sameer Wankhede’s father Dnyandev Wankhede was right this moment refused interim reduction in a defamation case towards Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on his tweets about Mr Wankhede’s household. Whereas discovering Mr Malik’s tweets “malicious”, the Court docket dominated that it might probably’t be stated that allegations made in his tweets may very well be stated to be false at this stage. The minister is free to tweet however solely after an inexpensive verification of information, the Bombay Excessive Court docket stated.

“Though plaintiff has the precise to privateness, the defendant has the precise to freedom of speech and expression, there needs to be balancing of elementary rights,” the Court docket order learn.

Dyandev Wankhede had slapped a defamation case towards Mr Malik and sought damages to the tune of Rs. 1.25 crore from him for allegedly making defamatory feedback towards his son Sameer Wankhede and household by way of press conferences and on social media.

The swimsuit sought an order declaring Nawab Malik’s statements as defamatory in nature and issuing a everlasting injunction restraining the NCP chief from publishing or making statements in regards to the Wankhede household earlier than the media, together with on his social media accounts.

In an earlier listening to, the Court docket had directed Mr Malik to file an affidavit verifying his sensational claims in regards to the officer and his household. The minister had submitted an affidavit the following day saying not one of the statements made by him was incorrect and that the proof produced by him has, the truth is, helped the federal government equipment take corrective steps towards the Narcotics Management Bureau (NCB) Mumbai zonal chief Sameer Wankhede.

Sameer Wankhede, the courtroom had stated, is a public official and any member of the general public had the precise to look at him. “It will depend on Dnyandev Wankhede to show what the minister is saying is fake,” the Court docket stated within the listening to earlier this month. 

The Maharashtra minister had launched what he claimed was the delivery certificates of the NCB officer in a Tweet claiming that he’s a Muslim by delivery and his actual title is “Sameer Dawood Wankhede”. He had additionally claimed that the officer solid his delivery certificates and claimed reservation meant for Scheduled Caste to get his job. 

Sameer Wankhede had alleged that the minister held a grudge towards him for arresting his son-in-law in a medicine case and was looking for private vendetta. 

Mr Malik informed NDTV that the NCB is “hiding” behind the case of his son-in-law, portraying his criticism of the company as a case of vendetta.

The NCB officer had final month led the raid within the drugs-on-cruise case, arresting Celebrity Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan and several other others. The accused have been granted bail and the anti-drugs company has come beneath extreme criticism since, with malicious motive ascribed to the arrest.