Athawale expresses solidarity with Wankhede, says Malik targeting him

On Sunday, Wankhede's wife Kranti Redkar and father Dyandeo Wankhede met Athawale at his residence. The meeting lasted 30 minutes. After the meeting they addressed the media.

Ramdas Athawale, Ramdas, Athawale, Sameer Wankhede, Wankhede, NCB, Nawab Malik, Nawab, Malik, Mumbai

Union minister of state for social justice Ramdas Athawale. (Express file photo by Vishal Srivastav)

UNION MINISTER and Republican Party of India president Ramdas Athawale on Sunday expressed solidarity with NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede, who is facing a vigilance probe by the NCB. Athawale also alleged that state minister Nawab Malik was targeting the NCB official.

On Sunday, Wankhede’s wife Kranti Redkar and father Dyandeo Wankhede meet Athawale at his residence. The meeting lasted 30 minutes. After the meeting they addressed the media.

Athawale said, “NCP minister Nawab Malik was targeting Sameer Wankhede as he had arrested his son-in-law (Sameer Khan) in a drug-related case. This was politics of vengeance. I have gone through all the documents. Sameer Wankhede is Hindu and not Muslim. He has not used any fake certificate to get the job.”

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He added, “Dyandeo Wankhede, his father, served in the excise department. I have gone through his documents too. He is a Hindu. He had married a Muslim.”

Kranti Redkar reiterated that Malik’s allegations against her family were “baseless”. When reporters asked about her husband’s caste, Redkar said her family was fed up with the “harassment”. “My family is fed up with all these things. What have you all got to do with the private life of Sameer Wankhede?” asked Redkar, an actress. “Why are you people not asking how much drugs were recovered from Sameer Khan? The case is in court and I have nothing to say on it or Aryan Khan,” Redkar said to queries from reporters. (With PTI inputs)

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