The Delhi High Court has issued summons to Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, Meta, Google, and X Corp in response to a defamation suit filed by Sameer Wankhede, a former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director and Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer. The case revolves around the Netflix series The Bads of Bollywood, which Wankhede alleges portrays him in a false, malicious, and defamatory light, damaging his reputation and that of his family.
Wankhede, who arrested Aryan Khan in a high-profile drugs case in 2021, is seeking ₹2 crore in damages from Red Chillies Entertainment, owned by Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan, along with other platforms. He intends to donate the compensation to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, while issuing the summons, has asked the defendants to respond within seven days, with the next hearing scheduled for October 30, 2025. The court has refrained from passing any general injunction order at this stage. Wankhede's legal team had requested the removal of alleged defamatory content from various websites and social media platforms, but the court noted that such an order could have wider ramifications.
Wankhede contends that the series features a character with a striking resemblance to him, crafted intentionally to target and ridicule him, portraying him as corrupt and unethical. He also argues that the show misrepresents anti-drug enforcement agencies, eroding public confidence in law enforcement. According to Wankhede, the series contains biased and defamatory content against him, further noting that his case involving Aryan Khan is still pending before the Bombay High Court and a special NDPS court in Mumbai. He also highlighted a scene in the series where a character makes an obscene gesture immediately after saying "Satyamev Jayate", which he alleges insults the national slogan, violating the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971. Furthermore, he claims the series violates the Information Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code by using obscene and offensive content intended to hurt national sentiments.
Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Wankhede, argued that the IRS officer's family is being targeted on social media because of the series. Wankhede himself stated that he and his family, including his wife and sister, are being trolled online, with offensive comments being posted even from Pakistan. The court acknowledged that there was a cause in Wankhede's favor but emphasized the need to follow due procedure. The court clarified that it cannot issue a blanket order stopping all online posts, comments, or discussions related to the web series.
In May 2023, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) registered a case against Wankhede, accusing him of attempting to extort ₹25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan during the 2021 Aryan Khan drug case. Wankhede has denied these allegations, calling them politically motivated and citing text messages with Shah Rukh Khan to support his claims.
