In a recent decision, the Bombay High Court ruled in favor of Anushka and Rajendra Wankhade, confirming that they are part of the "Thakur" Scheduled Tribe. This decision changes earlier decisions that had denied their tribe claims.
Anushka Wankhade, an 18-year-old student, challenged a decision from December 2024 by the Schedule Tribe Review Committee in Yavatmal. This committee said she wasn't part of the "Thakur" tribe, even though she provided 16 documents, some from before India's independence, showing her ancestors as "Thakur."
"The investigation team didn't doubt the old documents but couldn't verify them," Anushka argued.
Rajendra Wankhade, Anushka's father and a teacher, faced a similar problem. His tribe status was questioned in 2024, even though he had documents from as far back as 1918 showing his family as "Thakur." Despite a positive initial report in 2016, a later report contradicted it, claiming document tampering.
The court, with Judges M.S. Jawalkar and Raj D. Wakode, found the Review Committee's rejection of the Wankhades' claims baseless. They noted the committee ignored important historical documents and relied on a questionable second inquiry.
"The committee discarded the old documents without reason," the judges said.
The court pointed out several historical documents that supported the Wankhades' claims:
The judges decided that the Wankhades had sufficiently proven their "Thakur" heritage and ordered the Review Committee to issue validity certificates within three weeks.
"Pre-Independence documents have greater importance," the court emphasized, citing past decisions that support this view.
This decision not only confirms the Wankhades' claims but also sets an example for how historical documents should be valued in similar cases.
