Mumbai: IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has moved the Delhi High Court against Aryan Khan, son of Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, and several other parties, alleging defamation over content in a newly released web series.
The suit, which names Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Netflix, and others, accuses them of portraying false and damaging narratives in The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, directed by Aryan Khan.
Wankhede has sought a permanent injunction against the streaming of the series, along with damages of Rs. 2 crore, which he has pledged to donate to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for cancer patients.
According to Wankhede, the show features scenes closely resembling the 2021 Mumbai cruise raid where Aryan was detained on drug-related charges.
He contends that the series depicts drug enforcement officials in a derogatory light, eroding public faith in law enforcement.
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Wankhede further alleged that the series includes objectionable sequences, such as a character modelled after him using the phrase “Satyamev Jayate” before making an obscene gesture.
He argued this amounted to an insult to the national emblem and violated the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
The petition also cites breaches under the Information Technology Act and Indian Penal Code, claiming the show attempts to provoke national sentiment through offensive and defamatory portrayals.
The defamation suit comes even as the Aryan Khan–Wankhede case from 2021 continues to be heard in the Bombay High Court and a special NDPS court in Mumbai.
