Delhi HC Rejects Sameer Wankhede’s Rs 2 Cr Defamation Plea Against Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies, Netflix Over Aryan Khan’s Ba***ds Of Bollywood

Sameer Wankhede filed a defamation case against Shah Rukh Khan's Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix for allegedly maligning his reputation in Aryan Khan's The Ba***ds of Bollywood.

Delhi HC Questions IRS Officer Sameer Wankhede

As reported by LiveLaw, at the outset, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav inquired of Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, appearing for Wankhede, about the cause of action. Sethi responded, “Web series is meant for across cities, including Delhi. Memes are against me qua people in Delhi.”

However, the court orally observed, “Your plaint is not maintainable. I am rejecting your plaint. Had your case been that look, I’ve been defamed at various places, including Delhi, and max damage is in Delhi, we would have still considered here.” Sethi then mentioned that he could amend the plaint.

Following this, the court stated, “Having considered Section 9 of CPC and the facts that the plaintiff in para 37 and 38 has not properly made averments as to how a civil suit would lie here in Delhi.” Sethi requested time to make necessary amendments, which the court permitted. It further clarified that no specific date would be fixed immediately; instead, the Registry would decide the date once the plaintiff’s application is listed.

Who Defends Who?

Senior Advocate Harish Salve appeared for Red Chillies Entertainment, and Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi represented Netflix. The suit names as defendants: Red Chillies Entertainment Private Limited, Netflix, X Corp (formerly Twitter), Google LLC, Meta Platforms, RPG Lifestyle Media Private Limited, and John Doe.

What Is Sameer VS Red Chillies, Netflix Case?

Sameer Wankhede has claimed Rs. 2 crores in damages, which he intends to donate to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for cancer patients’ treatment. The suit seeks a permanent and mandatory injunction against the production house and others, concerning the allegedly “false, malicious, and defamatory video” broadcast in the series.

Wankhede’s case is that the Netflix series has been “deliberately conceptualised and executed” with the intent to malign his reputation in a “colourable and prejudicial manner,” especially given that a case involving him and Aryan Khan is pending before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court. It is also alleged that the series depicts a character making an “obscene gesture,” specifically, “showing a middle finger” after reciting the slogan “Satyamev Jayate.”

According to the suit, this act constitutes a serious violation of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, carrying penal consequences under the law. The suit further contends that the content of the series contravenes various provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). It seeks to outrage national sentiment through obscene and offensive material.

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