Former NCB Mumbai zonal director and IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court against Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, streaming giant Netflix, and others.
The case relates to Aryan Khan’s directorial debut series The Ba**ds of Bollywood. Wankhede is seeking ₹2 crore in damages, which he has stated should be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital.
Wankhede’s concerns over his reputation
Wankhede claims the series contains “false, malicious, and defamatory content” aimed at tarnishing his reputation.
He alleges that the show misrepresents anti-drug enforcement agencies and unfairly targets him, especially as proceedings involving him and Aryan Khan are still pending before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai.
Allegations against the series
According to Wankhede, the series features a sequence where a character recites ‘Satyamev Jayate’ and then makes an obscene gesture.
He argues this not only insults national honour but also violates provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, the IT Act, and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
Broader implications of the case
The lawsuit seeks a ban on streaming and distribution of the series, with Wankhede maintaining that beyond harming his personal image, the content undermines public trust in institutions that enforce drug laws.
