Sameer Wankhede Drags Ba***ds of Bollywood to Court, Demands Rs 2 Crore for Defamation

Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court against Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix and others over the series 'Ba***ds of Bollywood'. He has sought Rs 2 crore in damages. 

Ex-narcotics and IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court against Red Chillies Entertainment, owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, along with Netflix and other parties. The suit seeks a permanent and mandatory injunction, a declaration, and damages of Rs 2 crore, claiming that the Netflix series 'Ba***ds of Bollywood' defamed him.

Wankhede has alleged that the show presents a false, malicious, and misleading portrayal of his personal and professional conduct, harming his reputation.

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Allegations against the Netflix series

According to the petition, the series, produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and streamed on Netflix, distorts the role of anti-drug enforcement agencies. Wankhede claims that such portrayals could erode public trust in law enforcement institutions, giving audiences a false impression about the functioning of officers like him.

He further argued that the series was deliberately conceptualised and produced to tarnish his reputation, particularly since the legal proceedings involving him and Aryan Khan are still pending in the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai.

High-profile investigations led by Wankhede

Wankhede, who previously served as the Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Mumbai, handled several high-profile cases, including the investigation involving Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan. He contends that the series unfairly uses his name and depicts a character resembling him, which he believes was intended to prejudice public opinion while the matter is sub-judice.

Legal relief sought

In his petition, Wankhede has sought the court’s intervention to stop the series from being streamed until the case is resolved. He has also demanded Rs 2 crore in damages, which he has said should be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital to support the treatment of cancer patients, says a report in Bar and Bench.

The suit claims that the portrayal in the series is irresponsible and prejudicial, especially because it references ongoing investigations and trials in which he is involved.

Public reaction and context

The series has generated controversy on social media, with viewers noting that a character resembling Wankhede was shown in a negative light. Clips and posts related to the show have gone viral, intensifying discussions about freedom of expression versus defamation in India's entertainment industry.