Judicial Review on Defence of Staire Sought as Sameer Wankhede Frames Bollywood Ba***ds Case in Delhi HC

(By Syed Ali Taher Abedi)

New Delhi, November 10: Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede has approached the Delhi High Court seeking an injunction against the Netflix series Ba*ds of Bollywood, alleging that the show ridicules and targets him.

On Monday, Wankhede’s counsel argued before Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav that the defence of satire is not absolute and that the series, produced by Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment and directed by Aryan Khan, unfairly portrays a public servant.

Wankhede, who in 2021 arrested Aryan Khan under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act during a high-profile Mumbai drug raid, claimed that the series depicts a character resembling him in scenes that mock and malign his image. He has sought damages of ₹2 crore, removal of the allegedly defamatory content, and an injunction restraining further publication.

Earlier, the High Court had issued summons to Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, Google, X Corp, and Meta, directing them to respond to Wankhede’s defamation suit.

In its reply, Red Chillies contended that Wankhede’s reputation had already been subject to public scrutiny and adverse commentary prior to the release of the series. The production house referred to ongoing CBI proceedings against Wankhede on charges of criminal conspiracy and extortion under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Corruption Act. It maintained that the series is a work of satire and parody, protected under artistic freedom, and does not amount to defamation.

Appearing for Wankhede, Senior Advocate J. Sai Deepak argued that the portrayal was malicious, stemming from past animosity, and intended to ridicule his client despite his “exemplary track record.” He pointed out specific scenes in the series and requested that the court view the episode in chambers. Clips were subsequently played in the courtroom. Deepak asserted that removing the derogatory content would not disrupt the narrative flow of the series, and accused the makers of hiding behind disclaimers.

The court also questioned the producers on whether artistic freedom permits such portrayals of a public servant. Senior Advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, representing Red Chillies, stated that he would address the query in detail.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on November 17.