Sameer Wankhede's defamation case against Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies REJECTED by Delhi High Court

The legal dispute between IRS officer Sameer Wankhede and the makers of the upcoming Netflix series Ba**ds of Bollywood took a significant turn on Friday, September 26, when the Delhi High Court raised concerns about the maintainability of Wankhede’s defamation suit. The series, reportedly linked to Aryan Khan’s 2021 drug case, is being produced by Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment in association with Netflix. Wankhede, who led the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) investigation that led to Aryan Khan's arrest, claims that the series defames him and misrepresents his actions.

The matter was heard by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, who questioned the basis of filing the suit in Delhi. Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Wankhede, argued that the web series targets Wankhede’s image across the country, including in Delhi, and that memes and online commentary stemming from the show have caused reputational harm among people based in the capital as well.

However, the court was not persuaded by the argument. In an oral observation, Justice Kaurav said, “Your plaint is not maintainable. I am rejecting your plaint.” The judge further pointed out that the suit lacked specific and detailed averments about how Delhi was the appropriate jurisdiction to entertain the defamation case. The judge also indicated that the plaint could have been considered if Wankhede had clearly shown that the defamatory content had caused maximum damage in Delhi or was targeted specifically at the Delhi audience.

Responding to the court's remarks, Wankhede’s counsel sought permission to amend the plaint. The court allowed this and stated that it would not fix any date immediately. The Registry will list the matter once the amended application is submitted.

This case has drawn significant public interest, particularly due to the high-profile nature of the individuals involved. Wankhede had previously made headlines for leading the controversial raid on a cruise ship that led to Aryan Khan’s arrest, a case that was later dropped by the NCB due to lack of evidence. The portrayal of the case in a dramatized web series has now reignited tensions between Wankhede and the Khan family.