Delhi HC dismisses Sameer Wankhede's suit against 'Bads of Bollywood'
What's the story
The Delhi High Court dismissed a plea by former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede on Thursday, who had sought the removal of certain scenes from the Netflix series The Ba***ds of Bollywood. Wankhede had claimed that the content was defamatory and aimed at tarnishing his reputation. The court ruled it lacked jurisdiction over the matter, noting that the suit should have been filed in Mumbai, where both Wankhede's residence and Red Chillies Entertainment's registered office are located.
Legal details
Wankhede's suit targeted specific scenes in 'Bads of Bollywood'
Wankhede's suit specifically targeted Episode 1 of Ba***ds of Bollywood, from 32:02 to 33:50, where a character is portrayed who Wankhede claims closely resembles him in appearance and mannerisms. The show was co-written and directed by Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan. Notably, Khan was arrested by Wankhede during the infamous Cordelia cruise raid case in October 2021 but was later exonerated by NCB in May 2022.
Counterarguments
Red Chillies and Netflix challenged Wankhede's jurisdiction claim
Red Chillies and Netflix opposed Wankhede's plea, arguing that the Delhi High Court lacked territorial jurisdiction. Senior advocates Neeraj Kishan Kaul (for Red Chillies) and Rajiv Nayyar (for Netflix) said the case should have been filed in Mumbai since both Wankhede's residence and Red Chillies' registered office are there. They also maintained that the series is a fictional, satirical story set at a Bollywood success party and does not depict the Cordelia cruise raid.
Defense stance
Wankhede's counsel argued for Delhi jurisdiction
Wankhede's counsel, senior advocate Jai Sai Deepak, argued the case was maintainable in Delhi because the alleged defamation primarily affected the city. Deepak also asserted that the actor playing the character had acknowledged portraying Wankhede, and that media reports independently identified him as such.