Former NCB Mumbai zonal director and Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer Sameer Wankhede on Saturday interacted with the press during an awareness drive on drug abuse in the city. While highlighting the alarming rise in narcotics consumption across different parts of Mumbai, Wankhede also faced questions regarding his ongoing legal battle against Netflix, Red Chillies Entertainment, and Aryan Khan over the web series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*.
Speaking at the event, Wankhede said, “In Mumbai, particularly in the northern and eastern parts of the city, there is a worrying increase in drug consumption. Awareness campaigns are crucial to educate parents and young people about the dangers of these substances. I am glad to have joined this initiative to discuss not only the social aspects but also the legal provisions that come into play.”
Guarded Response on Defamation Case
When asked about his defamation suit against The Ba**ds of Bollywood* and whether attempts were being made to downplay the matter, Wankhede chose not to go into detail. “I don’t want to comment on this. All I can say is ‘Satyameva Jayate’ (truth alone triumphs),” he remarked. Ironically, in the series itself, a character alleged to be based on Wankhede also uses the same phrase.
Wankhede’s Legal Action
Earlier this year, Wankhede had moved the Delhi High Court against Netflix, Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment, and Aryan Khan, who made his directorial debut with the series. He claimed that the show portrayed him in a derogatory manner and was “false, malicious, and defamatory.”
Wankhede sought damages of ₹2 crore, which he had pledged to donate to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital. One of the contested scenes in the series depicts the character resembling him saying “satyameva jayate” before making an obscene gesture — an act Wankhede argued was intended to malign his reputation, particularly since cases involving him and Aryan Khan were still sub judice.
Delhi High Court’s Ruling
During the hearing, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav asked how the case could be maintained in Delhi, questioning whether any part of the cause of action arose in the capital. Senior advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Wankhede, countered that since the series is available for nationwide streaming, including in Delhi, the officer’s reputation has been harmed within the jurisdiction.
The court, however, directed Wankhede to amend his petition to clearly demonstrate how a valid cause of action arose in Delhi and listed the petition next week.
Background
The controversy is rooted in the high-profile 2021 drugs-on-cruise case, where Aryan Khan, son of Shah Rukh Khan, was arrested by the Narcotics Control Bureau under Wankhede’s supervision. The case dominated national headlines, though Aryan was later given a clean chit by investigators.
Aryan Khan’s The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, released on Netflix earlier this year, marks his directorial debut. The series reportedly fictionalises real-life events from the Bollywood drug probe saga, which Wankhede believes has been deliberately scripted to target and defame him.
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