Former IRS officer and ex-NCB zonal director Sameer Wankhede has taken legal action, filing a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court. The suit targets actor Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan’s production company, Red Chillies Entertainment, along with Netflix, claiming that their series, The Ba***ds of Bollywood, has unjustly damaged his reputation.
In his petition, Wankhede is seeking a permanent and mandatory injunction, a formal declaration, and substantial damages from Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix. He asserts that the series features a “false, malicious, and defamatory video” produced by the company and distributed by the streaming platform.
Notably, Wankhede is demanding ₹2 crore in damages, with a stipulation that this sum be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital to support cancer patients.
Advocate Aditya Giri, one of the lawyers representing Wankhede, stated that the series “spreads a misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies, consequently eroding public trust in law enforcement institutions.”
The lawsuit further contends that the series was intentionally created and produced to unfairly and prejudicially tarnish Wankhede’s reputation. This is particularly sensitive, as an ongoing case involving the officer and Shah Rukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan, is still awaiting judgment before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai.
Moreover, the plea highlights a scene where a character makes an obscene gesture—specifically, showing a middle finger—immediately after uttering the slogan “Satyamev Jayate,” which is an integral part of India’s National Emblem.
According to the lawsuit, this action represents a serious violation of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, carrying significant legal penalties.
Finally, the petition argues that the series’ content violates several clauses of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). It aims to incite national outrage through its depiction of obscene and offensive material.