The Delhi High Court on Friday raised questions over the maintainability of a defamation case filed by IRS officer Sameer Wankhede against Netflix and Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment. Wankhede alleges that their web series “The Ba**ds of Bollywood”* has damaged his reputation and portrayed him in a defamatory manner.
Wankhede, who previously served as the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director, approached the court seeking a permanent injunction, declaration, and ₹2 crore in damages from the production companies. He stated that the series was produced with malicious intent, especially while legal proceedings involving him and Aryan Khan — Shah Rukh Khan’s son — are still pending before the Bombay High Court and a special NDPS court in Mumbai.
High Court Seeks Clarification On Jurisdiction
During the hearing, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav asked Wankhede to explain how his defamation plea was maintainable in Delhi and whether a cause of action had arisen in the national capital.
Wankhede’s counsel, senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, argued that the series was available for streaming and viewership in Delhi, and therefore the defamatory content had been published in the jurisdiction.
“It is seen by viewers in Delhi. Insofar as the web series is published for viewing in Delhi, I am defamed,” Mr. Sethi submitted.
The court directed Wankhede to amend his plea to establish a clear connection between the alleged defamation and the jurisdiction of Delhi.
Damages To Be Donated If Case Succeeds
Wankhede has sought ₹2 crore in damages, stating that if the court rules in his favour, the entire amount will be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for cancer patients.
His petition also claims that the series deliberately attempts to malign his image in a “colourable and prejudicial” manner. He further alleged that the show included a scene in which a character makes an obscene gesture — showing a middle finger — after chanting “Satyamev Jayate”, part of India’s national emblem.
Wankhede’s legal team argued that this act amounts to a serious violation of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which carries penal consequences under Indian law.
