Delhi HC Summons Red Chillies, Netflix in Sameer Wankhede’s Defamation Case
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued summons to actor Shah Rukh Khan-owned Red Chillies Entertainment and OTT platform Netflix in the defamation case filed by IRS officer Sameer Wankhede for allegedly tarnishing his reputation in the TV series ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’. Wankhede demanded compensation of Rs 2 million, which he wanted to be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for cancer patients.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav issued notice to the defendants in the defamation case Red Chillies Entertainment Private Limited, Netflix, X Corp (formerly Twitter), Google LLC, Meta Platforms, RPSG Lifestyle Media Private Limited and John Doe and asked them to file their responses within seven days.
The court listed the matter for next hearing on October 30. The court, which did not issue any interim injunction at this stage, also asked the defendants to respond to Wankhede’s application for the removal of allegedly defamatory content on various websites.
The judge said, “Let them receive instructions and respond. In general, I cannot give an injunction.” The indictment alleged that the series spread a misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug agencies, thereby undermining the public’s trust in law enforcement.
It was stated that the serial was deliberately conceptualized and executed with the aim of maligning Wankhede’s reputation in a coloring and prejudicial manner, especially at a time when the case involving police officer and Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan was pending and being tried in the Bombay High Court and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Special Court in Mumbai.
Senior advocate Sandeep Sethi and advocate T Singhdev, representing Wankhede, said they had filed the amended case and urged the court to grant interim relief. Regarding the web series, the lawyers said, “There are ex facie slanderous posts trolling me (Wankhede), my wife and my sister. This is shocking. They (the defendants) are definitely not defending these posts.”
However, the judge said, “We appreciate that there is a reason in your favor to apply to this court, but there is a process that must be followed.” Netflix’s lawyer opposed the case. The defense claimed that the series depicted a character making an obscene gesture (specifically showing his middle finger) after reciting the slogan “Satyamev Jayate”, which is part of the National Emblem.
It was stated that this action constituted a serious and sensitive violation of the provisions of the National Insults to Dishonor Act, 1971, which gave rise to criminal consequences in accordance with the law. The plea stated that the content of the serial was against various provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and aimed to outrage national sentiment by using obscene and offensive material.
