Bombay High Court Directs Nawab Malik To File Reply To Wankhede's Defamation Suit By Tomorrow, Hearing On November 10

The Bombay High Court on Monday directed Maharashtra Cabinet Minister Nawab Malik to respond to a defamation suit filed by Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede's father by tomorrow. Dhyandev Wankhede has sought a declaration that Malik's remarks, in press releases or interviews or social media including but not limited to his Twitter account, are "tortious and defamatory in nature," and Rs. 1.25 crore in damages. Justice Madhav Jamdar posted the matter for hearing on November 10 for interim reliefs after Malik's counsel refused to undertake not to post comments or take press conferences. Justice Jamdar remarked that if Malik could respond on Twitter he could definitely respond here(to the court). During the hearing Advocate Arshad Shaikh sought interim reliefs submitting that Malik says something or the other everyday. "A reply is necessary but in the meantime he can convince his client for the next two or three days not to mention anything about my client. He may not go to the press for these few days." However Senior Advocate Atul Damle for Malik said he had no instructions to give such an undertaking. The court then asked Malik to file a reply by tomorrow and also allowed a certain amendment in para 7 of the plaint. Wankhede has sought a permanent injunction restraining Malik, his party members and all others acting under or on his instructions from publishing, writing or speaking in the media or publishing in any manner defamatory material about him and his family members. He has further sought deletion of articles, tweets, interviews, including in electronic and social media against him and his family, and temporary injunction restraining them "from publishing, writing and speaking in any media". Lastly, has sought direction to Malik to pay him Rs 1.25 crore as damages for the "irreparable loss, damage, harm, prejudice to the name, character, reputation and societal image of plaintiff and his family members". Wankhede's counsels had mentioned the matter before the vacation bench of Justice SJ Kathawalla on Friday. The bench then posted the matter for hearing today. In other developments, the probe into the Cruise Ship Drugs Case in which actor Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan is an accused was transferred to a Special Investigation Team (SIT). This comes following several personal and service-related allegations levelled against Sameer Wankhede.

Bombay High Court Directs Nawab Malik To File Reply To Wankhede's Defamation Suit By Tomorrow, Hearing On November 10

Sharmeen Hakim

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