Sameer Wankhede Demands Rs 2 Crore From Shah Rukh Khan Over Aryan Khan's Series

Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede has waged legal war against Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's family, filing a ₹2 crore defamation lawsuit in the Delhi High Court. The suit names Red Chillies Entertainment (owned by SRK), Gauri Khan, and others, claiming that their new Netflix series Ba***ds of Bollywood, directed by Aryan Khan, maliciously and falsely portrays him.

Allegations of Malicious Portrayal

The core of Wankhede's complaint is that the Netflix series has been "deliberately conceptualised and executed" to malign his reputation, especially while the original drug case involving him and Aryan Khan remains sub-judice (pending) before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court.

The series, which marks Aryan Khan's directorial debut, allegedly includes a fictionalized sequence that closely mirrors the highly publicized 2021 drug-on-cruise case where Wankhede, then an NCB officer, arrested Aryan Khan.

The Scene in Question:

The suit highlights a scene where a character bearing a striking resemblance to Wankhede arrives at a Bollywood party, initially detains a regular DJ, but then spots and arrests a film star. The subsequent sequence shows the arrest becoming sensational headline news, leading to the actor losing film deals-a clear parallel to the real-life events.

Satyamev Jayate and Obscene Gesture

Wankhede's suit also takes issue with a specific part of the series that he claims is a sensitive violation of national honour and sentiment.

The lawsuit avers that a character in the series makes an "obscene gesture," specifically "showing a middle finger," immediately after reciting the national slogan "Satyamev Jayate" (Truth Alone Triumphs).

Wankhede contends this act is a grave violation of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, and various provisions of the Information Technology Act and the recently introduced Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

Damages and Relief Sought

Wankhede has sought a total of ₹2 crore in damages. He has stated that if awarded, the entire sum will be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients.

The suit also seeks a permanent and mandatory injunction against the production house and associated parties, aiming to stop the broadcast of the "false, malicious, and defamatory video" content within the series.