Another stinker, Maliks dig up Wankhede's wedding certificate, reception card

Mumbai, Nov 20 (IANS) In the ongoing saga of Malik versus Wankhede, another new piece of evidence has come to the fore - a purported marriage certificate and a wedding reception invitation card - which raised eyebrows and many new questions.

Nationalist Congress Party Minister Nawab Malik's daughter Nilofer Malik-Khan late on Saturday posted the marriage certificate issued by the Marriage Officer J.G. Barmeda, of the Bandra Marriage Registrar's office.

It has 3 witnesses - Yasmeen Aziz Khan, Nikhil Chheda and Glen Patel - signing alongside the bridegroom Sameer Wankhede and the bride Dr Shabana Quraishi.

Nilofer also dug out a copy of the wedding reception card of the to-be-married couple, held on December 7, 2006, with the 'nikaah' ceremony scheduled for 7 p.m. followed by dinner that evening.

Interestingly, the name of the bridegroom is printed as 'Sameer' (s/o Mr Dawood and Mrs Zaheda Wankhede), and the venue was the Lokhandwala Garden in the posh Andheri west, with the then landline telephone no 56015325.

"While Mr Wankhede & his kin continue to be in denial despite of all the evidence, here's another piece of proof for all to see -- Sameer Dawood Wankhede's wedding invite. Funny that a man who demanded arrests on basis of assumptions, refuses to acknowledge such hard facts," commented Nilofer.

Earlier, she said cryptically: "Despite one's best efforts, the truth can't be hidden for long. Sameer Wankhede history is a pandora's box and the skeletons have just started falling out of the closet. No matter what they do, we will uncover the whole truth."

In recent days, Kranti Redkar-Wankhede, the wife of the embattled officer has been waging a war against not only the state Minister, but also his daughter, defending the Wankhede family's honour and history - both of which appear to be at stake.

Occasionally, Kranti even refers to the NCP leader as 'Chachaji' though it was not clear whether it is out of respect or contempt.

Meanwhile, after Union Minister of State for Social Justice Ramdas Athawale, the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi President Dr Prakash Ambedkar on Saturday came out in support of Sameer Wankhede.

Malik has repeatedly made it clear that his fight is not against Sameer Wankhede's religion or family, but targeting the alleged "fake caste certificate" submitted by him to avail a plum government job in the IRS through the reserved category and thus depriving a deserving Dalit of an opportunity.