The Delhi High Court has issued summons to Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment, along with Google, X Corp, Meta and Netflix, following a defamation complaint filed by Indian Revenue Service officer, Sameer Wankhede. The complaint pertains to a scene in Aryan Khan’s The Ba***ds of Bollywood, which Wankhede claims has defamed him. He has sought the removal of the said scene. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav has asked the defendants to respond and stated, “Let them take instructions and file a reply. Cannot pass an injunction order in general.”

Sameer Wankhede sought a compensation amounting to ₹2 crore, which he intends to contribute to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital. Sameer Wankhede led the Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) 2021 cruise ship raid that led to Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan’s arrest.

He claimed that the series personally maligns him and aims to discredit anti-drug enforcement agencies. His plea read, “This series disseminates a misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies, thereby eroding public confidence in law enforcement institutions.” Aryan Khan was eventually cleared of all charges in 2022, with the NCB concluding that no drugs were found on him.

During the initial proceedings for the current lawsuit, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav asked Wankhede regarding the maintainability of his case in Delhi and whether any aspect of the cause of action originated within the capital.

Senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Sameer Wankhede, said that the web series is intended for viewing in various cities, including Delhi, and that his client has been defamed as a result. The judge, however, requested that Sameer Wankhede amend his plea to precisely demonstrate how a valid cause of action had originated in Delhi.

The series also included a depiction of a character making an offensive gesture – “specifically, showing a middle finger after the character recites the slogan Satyamev Jayate, which is part of the National Emblem.” Sameer Wankhede said that this action represents a breach of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act of 1971, which could lead to legal repercussions.

The court will hear the matter on October 30.

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