The Ba***ds of Bollywood defamatory: NCB ex-officer Wankhede moves Delhi HC

Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Mumbai zonal director and Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sameer Wankhede has moved the Delhi High Court against Red Chillies Entertainment, Gauri Khan and others, alleging that he has been defamed in the recently released Netflix series “Ba**ds of Bollywood”, directed by Aryan Khan.

The suit, filed on Thursday, seeks a permanent and mandatory injunction against the production house and the makers of the show, claiming that the series contains “false, malicious and defamatory” material. Wankhede has demanded damages of Rs 2 crore, which he has said will be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of patients.

According to the complaint, the web series has been “deliberately conceptualised and executed” with the intent to malign Wankhede’s reputation in a “colourable and prejudicial manner”. He has pointed out that proceedings involving him and Aryan Khan are still pending before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court, and that the portrayal undermines the principle of sub judice.

The suit further alleges that the show depicts a character making an “obscene gesture”, specifically “showing a middle finger”, immediately after reciting the slogan “Satyamev Jayate”. Wankhede has contended that this act constitutes a “grave and sensitive violation” of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which prescribes penal consequences for insulting national symbols.

It has also been claimed that the content of the series violates provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The suit states that the deliberate use of obscene and offensive material seeks to outrage national sentiment and tarnish the reputation of a public servant.

The High Court is expected to hear the matter in due course.