The Delhi High Court on Thursday threw out a defamation suit filed by former Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede against streaming platform Netflix and Red Chillies Entertainment over how he was depicted in the series The Ba***ds of Bollywood, which is directed by Aryan Khan.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav ruled that the court did not have the territorial jurisdiction to hear the matter, effectively dismissing the case. However, the judge noted that Wankhede is free to file his plea before a competent forum.
The decision is seen as a significant relief for Aryan Khan and the show’s producers, as it removes a legal obstacle that could have affected the series.
Wankhede’s lawsuit claimed that the portrayal in the Netflix series harmed his reputation. He had sought ₹2 crore in damages and said the amount would be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital to support cancer patients.
His petition also objected to a specific scene in which a character makes an offensive gesture immediately after saying the national motto “Satyamev Jayate.”
During the hearing, senior advocate J Sai Deepak, appearing for Wankhede, argued that the case could be maintained in Delhi, citing the presence of Wankhede’s relatives in the city and the fact that some departmental proceedings related to him were pending there.
Lawyers for Red Chillies Entertainment opposed this, arguing that Delhi was not the proper venue. They maintained that Mumbai was the appropriate jurisdiction since Wankhede lives there and the production house is also registered in Mumbai.
Wankhede first came into the national spotlight in 2021 after he arrested Aryan Khan, the son of Shah Rukh Khan, in a high-profile drugs case involving allegations of possession, consumption, and trafficking.
