Delhi HC questioned the maintainability of ex-NCB officer Sameer Wankhede’s defamation suit against Netflix, Red Chillies Entertainment, and others over his alleged portrayal in Aryan Khan’s web series The Ba***ds of Bollywood.
The Delhi High Court on Friday asked how the defamation suit filed by Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer and former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede was legally maintainable in Delhi. Wankhede has approached the court against the Netflix series The Ba***ds of Bollywood, directed by Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan. He alleges that the show features a character resembling him, which he says was designed to ridicule and defame him.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav asked Wankhede to clarify how the cause of action arose in Delhi. Wankhede’s lawyer, Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, argued that the series is available to viewers in Delhi, and since people in the capital are able to watch it, the alleged defamation also takes place in Delhi. The court, however, directed Wankhede to amend his plaint to properly show how a legal cause of action exists in the national capital, reports Bar and Bench.
What’s Wankhede Netflix suit case
Sameer Wankhede served as Zonal Director of the NCB in Mumbai. In 2021, he came into the spotlight after leading a high-profile drug raid in which actor Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was arrested under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Although Aryan Khan was later released, the case drew huge public attention and placed Wankhede at the centre of national debate.
In his new suit, Wankhede has filed a case against multiple parties including Red Chillies Entertainment (owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan), Netflix, social media companies like X Corp, Google, Meta, and media outlet RPG Lifestyle Media Pvt. Ltd. He claims the web series includes scenes targeting him and showing a character designed to resemble him. According to him, this portrayal is malicious and defamatory.
Claims made in the defamation suit
Wankhede has argued that the producers of the series have intentionally created a character whose behaviour, speech, and appearance closely resemble his own. He said this was done to link him with the plot and show him in a negative light, while disguising the intent as fiction. He alleged that the portrayal is part of an effort to ridicule him publicly and damage his personal and professional reputation.
The suit further claims that the series attacks and undermines anti-drug enforcement agencies as a whole. By showing such a negative portrayal, Wankhede argues, the series erodes public trust in law enforcement institutions. He has also alleged that the timing of the series is prejudicial, as the case involving him and Aryan Khan is still pending before the Bombay High Court and a Special NDPS Court in Mumbai.
Reliefs sought by Wankhede
Wankhede has sought multiple forms of legal relief from the court. He has asked for:
- A takedown of the alleged defamatory content from Netflix and other platforms.
- A permanent and mandatory injunction preventing the defendants from making or publishing any further defamatory content about him.
- An injunction against unknown creators and publishers (John Doe defendants) who may spread similar content on social media.
- Damages of Rs 2 crore, which he has stated should be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients.
- He has also informed the court that he has been receiving threatening and intimidating messages on his social media accounts after the release of the series.
Arguments by the parties
Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi appeared for Sameer Wankhede, stressing that the web series directly damages his client’s reputation and personal dignity. He said that even though the series does not use Wankhede’s name, the resemblance is intentional and clear to viewers.
On the other hand, Senior Advocate Shyel Trehan and Advocate Rohan Poddar appeared for Red Chillies Entertainment. They have opposed the maintainability of the case in Delhi and questioned whether Wankhede has provided a sufficient legal basis to proceed.
Court’s direction
After hearing the submissions, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav told Wankhede’s side to amend the plaint and clearly establish how Delhi has jurisdiction in this matter. Without showing that the cause of action arose in Delhi, the case may face difficulties in being admitted. The matter is expected to be taken up again once the plaint is amended.
Wider implications of the case
The case reflects a growing debate over how fictionalised portrayals in web series and films can affect real-life individuals, especially public officials. Wankhede’s claim that the series undermines trust in law enforcement agencies highlights the larger concern of balancing creative freedom with reputational rights.
At the same time, the case has drawn attention because of the involvement of Shah Rukh Khan’s family. The series, directed by Aryan Khan and produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, deals with sensitive issues in Bollywood, making the dispute even more high-profile.
The Delhi High Court has not yet granted any interim relief to Wankhede. The next step will depend on whether he can amend his plaint to show why the Delhi court has jurisdiction over the matter. If the court is satisfied, it may then proceed to hear arguments on whether the portrayal is indeed defamatory and whether an injunction should be granted.
Until then, the Netflix series remains available for viewing. The case will likely continue to attract public and legal interest, given the personalities involved and the ongoing discussions about freedom of expression versus protection of reputation in the digital age.
(With ANI inputs)