Crime
Wankhede family was Muslim: Sameer’s ex-in-laws bombshell
The Wankhede family was Muslim, performed ‘namaz’ and ‘Ramadan fasts’ and were known to the family of Sameer’s former wife Dr. Shabana Quraishi almost four years before marriage, revealed the latter’s father Dr. Zahid Quraishi, here on Thursday.
Speaking to hordes of mediapersons, Dr. Quraishi — the ex-father-in-law of Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede — said that the two families had “excellent relations” prior to his (Sameer’s) wedding with his daughter.
“The marriage took place before they were Muslims… Otherwise it would not have materialised… They were good Muslims, performing ‘namaz’ and ‘Ramadan rozas’ also,” Dr. Quraishi asserted, dropping a bombshell.
Dr. Shabana Quraishi was acquainted with Sameer Wankhede over three years before their engagement and got married some 10 months post-betrothal, and later they had a child out of the wedlock.
The new disclosures come a day after the Wankhede family members vehemently denied that they were Muslims and asserted that they were Hindus.
In a climbdown of sorts following the furore, Sameer Wankhede’s father Dynaneshwar Wankhede said that his late wife addressed him by a pet name of ‘Dawood’, while his wife Kranti Redkar-Wankhede said he (Sameer) married in a Muslim ceremony as per the desires of his deceased mother.
Nationalist Congress Party Minister Nawab Malik reiterated that the issue he had raised was not about Wankhede’s religion, but his forged caste-papers on the basis of which he secured a Central government job in the IRS.
“I challenge them to prove me wrong… I shall quit my Ministerial post immediately… I dare them to drag me to any court of law and I shall ensure that all my charges are true with evidence,” said Malik grimly, after his series of exposures on Sameer Wankhede’s role in the NCB kicked up a huge political dust-storm.
The Muslim priest Maulana Muzammil Ahmed, who performed the ‘nikaah’ (marriage) of Sameer Wankhede-Dr. Shabana Quraishi in Andheri west, on Wednesday confirmed that the bridegroom was a Muslim and his father’s name was Dawood.
“The bride was a Muslim, the bridegroom was also Muslim, their parents were Muslims… Otherwise I would not have performed it (nikaah),” Maulana Ahmed told mediapersons.
The row over Sameer Wankhede’s religious credentials erupted after Malik on Wednesday posted his ‘nikaah-nama’ with his signature and the December 7, 2006 wedding pix of the couple in Muslim attire, and how he had allegedly forged his caste certificate later to get a reserved category government job.
However, the Wankhede family has rubbised all the allegations and some Bharatiya Janata Party activists have demanded his sacking from the state cabinet for misusing his official position.
Crime
Delhi Police solve robbery case in 48 hours, arrest two

New Delhi, Nov 19: In a coordinated operation, the South-West District Police solved a robbery case within 48 hours, arresting two men who allegedly targeted a commuter in the Vasant Kunj area.
According to a press release issued by the district police on Wednesday, the accused, both 22 years old and residents of Mahipalpur, were tracked down through extensive CCTV analysis and sustained field efforts.
The incident took place on November 14 when a PCR call alerted PS Vasant Kunj South about a robbery. Police officials rushed to the spot where the complainant, identified as K.K. from Gurugram, reported that two men forcibly snatched his phone and made him transfer Rs 1,500 from his account before fleeing.
A case under FIR No. 471/2025 was registered under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and investigation began immediately.
Given the seriousness of the crime, a specialised team led by Sub Inspector Ravi Malik and comprising Head Constable Naveen, HC Nemi Chand, Constable Harish and Woman Constable Suman was formed to track the culprits. The team combed through CCTV footage across multiple routes, including NH-48, Vasant Kunj Road and Mahipalpur Road. Their efforts led them to Ashish, one of the suspects, who was subsequently detained.
Police said Ashish confessed during interrogation that he and his associate Abhishek Dixit, also known as Golu, had committed the robbery. Acting on this information, a follow-up search operation resulted in the arrest of Abhishek from a wooded area near Arjun Camp.
Both men worked in Mahipalpur hotels on a commission basis, according to the press release. One of them, Ashish, is a drug user, while Abhishek is illiterate.
The police recovered the robbed iPhone SE and the clothes the accused were allegedly wearing during the robbery. “Further investigation is in progress,” the press release issued by Amit Goel, Deputy Commissioner of Police, South-West District, stated.
Crime
Mumbai: Anti-Narcotics Cell Seizes ₹1.16 Crore Heroin; 2 Drug Suppliers Arrested In Andheri

Mumbai: In a major action against narcotics trafficking, the Anti-Narcotics Cell (ANC) of the Mumbai Crime Branch, Kandivali Unit, seized heroin worth ₹1.16 crore during a late-night operation in Andheri on Monday–Tuesday. Two drug suppliers were arrested while they had allegedly arrived in Andheri West to sell the contraband.
According to officials, one of the arrested accused hails from Uttar Pradesh, while the other is a native of Bihar. Both had been living in the Bandra area for the past few months. Police are now searching for other members of the drug network involved in the case.
A senior officer said that the drug trafficking chain is extensive, and continuous interrogation of the arrested accused is underway to uncover more links.
The ANC Kandivali Unit received a tip-off from a confidential informant that two men would be arriving near Andheri Railway Station (West) for drug peddling. Acting swiftly, the unit laid a trap in the area. Based on suspicion, two young men were detained, and upon searching them, police recovered 292 grams of heroin, valued at ₹1.16 crore in the international market.
Both suspects were immediately arrested. The Crime Branch is now conducting further investigation to trace other individuals connected to the drug trafficking racket. Police said they have already identified some associates and expect to arrest them soon. Initial inquiries revealed that the arrested accused had come to the Andheri area for the first time to supply drugs.
Crime
‘This is terrorism and nothing else’: Owaisi on Dr Umar’s suicide bombing

New Delhi, Nov 19: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday reacted to the recent viral video of Delhi blast accused Dr Umar Muhammad, alias Umar Un Nabi, where he is justifying suicide bombings and said that killing innocents is “a grave sin” and is “terrorism”.
Days after the Delhi blast, a self-recorded video of the i20 car driver, Dr Umar Mohammad, has surfaced, in which he attempts to justify his malicious plan, and refers to it as “martyrdom operation”.
Reacting to this, Owaisi took to X and posted, “There is an undated video of Delhi blasts accused Umar Nabi justifying suicide bombing as ‘martyrdom’, and that it’s ‘misunderstood’. Suicide is haram in Islam, and the killing of innocents is a grave sin. Such acts are also against the law of the land. They are not ‘misunderstood’ in any way. This is terrorism and nothing else.”
He further questioned the Centre over the Delhi blast attack and demanded accountability for the “failure to detect” the terror module.
“During Operation Sindoor and Mahadev, Home Minister Amit Shah had assured Parliament that no local Kashmiri had joined terror groups in the last six months. Where did this group come from then? Who is accountable for the failure to detect this group?” Owaisi questioned.
In a heavily accented video that went viral on Tuesday, Umar attempts to give his terror plan a religious connection.
He is heard saying, “One of the very misunderstood concepts is the concept of suicide bombing; it is a martyrdom operation; as it has been known in Islam… There are multiple contradictions and arguments that have been brought against it — martyrdom operation.”
He further went on to explain that “martyrdom operation” is “when a person presumes that he is going, for sure, to die at a particular place and time.”
His video has revealed the suicide-bombing mindset, indicating that he had planned extensively on a large-scale terror operation.
The car explosion near Delhi’s Red Fort Metro Station on November 10 claimed the lives of at least 13 people and injured several others. The car was being driven by Dr Umar, a doctor associated with Faridabad’s Al Falah University.
The authorities reported that he went missing on November 9, following police raids in Faridabad that resulted in the seizure of almost 2,900 kg of ammonium nitrate from a storage facility and the subsequent arrests of several of his associates.
During the investigation, law enforcement discovered that Umar and Dr Muzammil, who was apprehended after the police dismantled the terror network, had travelled to Turkey, where it is believed their handlers are based.
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