New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has issued summons to actor Shah Rukh Khan, his production house Red Chillies Entertainment, and streaming giant Netflix in connection with a defamation suit filed by former NCB officer Sameer Wankhede over the recently released web series The Ba*ds of Bollywood, directed by Aryan Khan.
Wankhede, who led the Narcotics Control Bureau’s (NCB) high-profile raid in the 2021 cruise drug case that led to Aryan Khan’s arrest, has alleged that the show deliberately portrays him in a false and defamatory manner, damaging his reputation and credibility. In his plea, he claimed the series uses fictionalized characters and events that closely mirror the real-life investigation, and that the portrayal amounts to character assassination.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, hearing the matter, issued notices to Shah Rukh Khan, Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, and other respondents including Google LLC, X Corp (formerly Twitter), Meta Platforms, RPG Lifestyle Media Pvt Ltd, and several unidentified “John Doe” parties. The court directed all respondents to file their replies within seven days. However, it did not grant any interim injunction at this stage. The next hearing in the case has been scheduled for October 30.
Wankhede has sought damages of ₹2 crore, stating that the compensation amount, if granted, will be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital. He has also sought an injunction restraining further broadcast or online circulation of the allegedly defamatory content. His petition contends that the series has “vilified a serving public officer by twisting facts of a real case” and that it was intended to “malign his professional integrity and erode public faith in law enforcement institutions.”
The court has also taken note of Wankhede’s request to remove the specific portions of the show that purportedly target him. The former NCB official told the court that since the show’s release, he and his family members have faced trolling and abusive comments on social media, linking him directly with the character depicted in the web series.
The controversy stems from the 2021 “drugs on cruise” case, when Aryan Khan was detained and later cleared of all charges. Wankhede, then zonal director of the NCB’s Mumbai unit, led the probe that drew massive media attention. The new series, released on Netflix, reportedly includes a character bearing a close resemblance to Wankhede and scenes similar to the raid and interrogation episodes from that case.
The High Court will now decide whether Wankhede’s plea is maintainable in Delhi and whether the content crosses the limits of creative freedom to constitute defamation. The case also raises questions about the liability of streaming platforms, content creators, and distributors in the digital age.
The proceedings mark the latest chapter in the long-running legal and public feud between Wankhede and the Khan family. The court’s next hearing on October 30 will determine if the content is to be pulled down or restricted pending further orders.
