Delhi High Court rounds up Defamation Case against Netflix series
The Delhi High Court has issued summons to Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, and other respondents in a defamation suit filed by former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai zonal director and IRS officer Sameer Wankhede. The suit centers on the Netflix series The Ba**ds of Bollywood, which Wankhede argues has maligned his reputation and undermined public confidence in law enforcement agencies.
In a move that accelerates the proceedings, the court directed the respondents to file their replies within seven days and asked Wankhede to furnish copies of the petition to all parties. The matter has been listed for a hearing on October 30, signaling a rapid timeline for the defamation case to be heard in the Delhi High Court.
Who is in the crosshairs?
Wankhede’s petition names Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt Ltd, the production house owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, along with Netflix and other unnamed respondents. He seeks remedies including a permanent and mandatory injunction, a declaration, and damages amounting to Rs 2 crore. He has proposed that the damages be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital to aid cancer patients, framing the legal action as an effort to curb alleged defamatory content and to protect public faith in law enforcement.
Allegations against the series
Wankhede asserts that the series disseminates a “misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies” and erodes trust in institutions tasked with enforcing drug laws. He contends that the series was deliberately conceived and executed to portray him in a prejudicial manner, even as related cases involving him and Aryan Khan are pending before the Bombay High Court and other courts in Mumbai.
The petition also objects to a scene in which a character makes an obscene gesture after reciting a patriotic couplet from Satyamev Jayate, calling it a grave and sensitive contravention of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. Wankhede claims the content violates provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita by attempting to outrage national sentiment through obscene material.
Legal stakes and next steps
The Delhi High Court’s directive for replies within a week indicates an expedited approach to the defamation dispute. Wankhede has urged the court to restrain the streaming and distribution of the show and to declare its content defamatory. The case is being watched closely for its potential impact on freedom of expression vs. protections against defamation in streaming-era media.
Separately, the public attention around Wankhede’s allegations intersects with ongoing legal processes involving Aryan Khan, including appeals and hearings in the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai. In May 2023, the CBI registered a case against Wankhede, alleging attempted extortion from Shah Rukh Khan during the 2021 cruise ship drugs investigation. Wankhede has denied these allegations and has cited text messages with Shah Rukh Khan as supporting his position.
The Delhi High Court’s forthcoming hearing on October 30 will gauge whether the defendants must comply with interim orders or how the case will progress through the defamation framework as new affidavits and evidence are exchanged.
For readers following Indian media law and the evolving dynamics of celebrity-linked defamation, this case underscores the balance courts seek between protecting reputations and preserving freedom of expression in streaming content.
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