The Ba***ds Of Bollywood Controversy Explained: Why Sameer Wankhede Has Sued Aryan Khan Over His Series
Sameer Wankhede claimed that the show spreads a false and negative image about anti-drug enforcement agencies.
Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) zonal director Sameer Wankhede has filed a defamation suit against the Netflix series The Ba**ds of Bollywood. He claims the show is damaging to his reputation.
Wankhede is seeking Rs 2 crore in damages, which he intends to donate to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital. The case has been moved to the Delhi High Court. He is also asking for a permanent and mandatory injunction. The series is produced by Gauri Khan, under the banner of Red Chillies Entertainment. It was co-written and directed by actor Shah Rukh Khan's son, Aryan. Wankhede had arrested Aryan in a 2021 cruise ship drug case.
Wankhede alleged The Ba**ds of Bollywood was intentionally created to harm his reputation in a biased and prejudiced way.
Wankhede further claimed that the show spreads a false and negative image of anti-drug enforcement agencies.
“[The] series depicts a character making an obscene gesture: specifically, showing a middle finger after the character recites the slogan 'Satyamev Jayate’, which is part of the National Emblem. This act constitutes a grave and sensitive violation of the provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which attracts penal consequences under law,” the suit said.
Wankhede named Gauri Khan, Shah Rukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, X (formerly Twitter) and Google as parties in his defamation suit.
In his plea, Wankhede also pointed out that the case involving him and Aryan Khan is still pending before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court, making the timing of the series particularly inappropriate and damaging.
The plea states the series violates provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).
Aryan Khan was arrested by Wankhede during a 2021 raid on the yacht Cordelia in Mumbai. In 2022, the NCB cleared him of charges, citing lack of evidence. An SIT later confirmed there was no evidence that Aryan Khan had links to a drug conspiracy and flagged several irregularities in the raid.
Wankhede faced a probe after being accused of demanding Rs 25 crore bribe from Shah Rukh Khan.
