By Atul Krishan

New Delhi, Feb 12 (IANS): The National Commission for Scheduled Caste (NCSC) has stated that IRS officer Sameer Wankhede belongs to the Scheduled Caste community and he (Wankhede) has proven this before the Commission. Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik had claimed that Wankhede was a Muslim and was not a member of the scheduled caste community.

IANS has got the documents which confirms that the NCSC has taken this on record. This is seen as a big relief for Wankhede as the NCSC order has come in his favour.

Nawab Malik had been raising this issue quite promptly.

Wankhede had told the Commission that he belongs to Mahar caste and his caste comes under Scheduled Caste Community.

He had submitted a list of documents to prove that he belonged to SC community. He submitted a list of 50 documents along with a pen drive containing various documents.

"There were his school leaving certificate, caste certificate of the members of his family, marriage certificates, service records, passport and other relevant documents. It all proved that he was a member of Scheduled Caste Community," said a source.

The NCSC noted that as per the documents available on record, Wankhede has proven that he is Scheduled Caste.