Legal Notice and Court Direction
On Wednesday, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav directed the defendants to take instructions and file a reply. He clarified that issuing a general injunction at this stage would be premature. The next hearing is set for October 30.
During the proceedings, the court also raised a crucial question: whether the defamation suit is maintainable in Delhi, given that Wankhede’s original filing was challenged on jurisdictional grounds.
Earlier, the court had asked Wankhede to amend his plaint to better elaborate on why Delhi is the proper jurisdiction for his case.
Background: The 2021 Aryan Khan Case & Contentious Portrayals
Wankhede rose to prominence during the 2021 Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) case in Mumbai, wherein he arrested Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan, in a high-profile drug raid. While the charges were eventually dropped, the incident thrust Wankhede into the public eye.
In his suit, Wankhede claims the Netflix series The Ba**ds of Bollywood* features a character whose actions, traits, and speech parallel his own. According to the complaint, this portrayal is a deliberate attempt to mock, ridicule, and defame him. He describes it as “false, malicious and defamatory.”
Moreover, Wankhede argues that the series casts anti-drug enforcement agencies in a negative and misleading light—an image he believes undermines public confidence in law enforcement.
One scene drawing particular scrutiny shows a character making an obscene gesture—a middle finger—immediately after reciting “Satyamev Jayate,” a national slogan. Wankhede contends that this violates the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
He claims that the series was conceived and executed to tarnish his character at a time when the legal dispute with Aryan Khan is still active in the Bombay High Court and a special NDPS court.
In addition, Wankhede reports that since the show’s release, he has been receiving “intimidatory messages” on social media, and alleges that his family has also been subjected to negative trolling.
Claims, Reliefs Sought & Parties Involved
Reliefs Demanded by Wankhede
₹2 crore in damages, which he proposes to donate to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital.
Permanent injunctions: to restrain the defendants from making, publishing, or disseminating further defamatory depictions.
Takedown orders: removal of objectionable content from all relevant platforms.
Reliefs against John Doe / unknown defendants who may create related defamatory content.
Defendants Named
Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. (Shah Rukh Khan & Gauri Khan’s production house)
Netflix (as streaming and content distributor)
X Corp (formerly Twitter)
Google LLC
Meta Platforms
RPG Lifestyle Media Pvt. Ltd.
Senior advocates have been appointed to represent both sides: Sandeep Sethi appears for Wankhede, while Shyel Trehan and Rajiv Nayyar represent Red Chillies and Netflix respectively.
Court’s Immediate Stance and Next Steps
While the Delhi High Court has formally issued summons, it declined to grant an interim injunction or takedown order at this stage. The court stressed the need to follow procedural norms before any blanket relief can be considered.
Defense is expected to file responses within seven days, followed by Wankhede’s rejoinder within three days. Following that, the matter will be revisited on October 30 for further arguments.
Crucially, the court has underscored that filing a defamation suit is permissible—but only if the proper procedural thresholds (such as jurisdiction and maintainability) are met.
