Malik gives 'unconditional apology' to Bombay HC over remarks against Wankhede

NCP leader and Maharashtra minister Nawab Malik on Friday tendered an unconditional apology to the Bombay High Court for making public comments about NCB official Sameer Wankhede and his family despite an assurance that he would not do soSenior counsel Aspi Chinoy who appeared for Malik submitted an affidavit by the minister where he apologized for having violated the courts November 29 orderIt was not his intention to dishonor the court by breaching his own undertaking Malik said in the affidavitBut he also contended that he made the comments in question during an interview and they were not part of social media posts or public commentsI offer my unconditional apology to this court in terms of breaches of the undertaking given on November 25 and November 29 he said in the affidavitHe will not make any personal comments about the Wankhede family until the high court heard the defamation suit filed against him by Sameer Wankhedes father Dnyandev the minister saidI however believe my statement will not prevent me from commenting on the political misuse of central agencies and the conduct of their officers in the course of performance of their official duties hereafter the affidavit addedAlso Read Nawab Malik wilfully breached undertaking to not make statements against Wankhede family Bombay HCThe high court accepted Maliks apologyIt also took note of the objection raised by Dnyandev Wankhedes lawyer senior counsel Birendra Saraf about Maliks statement that he can still comment on the conduct of officials of Central agenciesMalik must not misuse this part of the affidavit to continue making defamatory statements against Sameer Wankhede who is Mumbai zonal director of the Narcotics Control Bureau advocate Saraf saidAdvocate Chinoy said his client will not make any personal comments against the officerI Malik am not saying anything about his Sameer Wankhedes personal life His religion caste holidays I am not interested the lawyer saidThe high court accepted Chinoys statement but also made it clear that Malik shall not make any comments on Sameer Wankhedes past conduct in discharge of official duty Any comments must be restricted to the present or future the court saidThe court also suggested that counsels of both the parties must advise them to put an end to thisChinoy said he wished he could but the issue was very complexOn November 29 the division bench had quashed the November 22 order of a single judge who had refused to restrain the minister from making defamatory statements against the Wankhedes while the defamation suit was heardMalik then gave an undertaking that he will not make public statements or post anything on social media against the Wankhede familyThe court also asked Dnyandev Wankhede to file a rejoinder additional affidavit by January 3 2022Dnyandev has filed a defamation suit against Malik and sought damages of Rs 125 crore alleging that the NCP leader launched a smear campaign against his family after Maliks soninlaw was arrested by the NCB in a drugs case earlier this yearOn Friday HC extended the time granted to Malik to file his affidavit before the single bench up to TuesdayThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever