The Delhi High Court was approached by IRS officer Sameer Wankhede, who has instituted a defamation lawsuit against Red Chillies Entertainment, Gauri Khan, and others, over the alleged defamatory portrayal of him in the Netflix documentary series “Ba*ds of Bollywood”, directed by Aryan Khan.
Wankhede has sought ₹2 crore in damages, declaring that the entire amount will be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients. In addition to monetary relief, the suit prays for a permanent and mandatory injunction restraining the producers and streaming platform from broadcasting what he terms a “false, malicious and defamatory depiction” of his character and professional reputation.
According to the plaint, the series has been “deliberately conceived and produced” to malign Wankhede’s image in a prejudicial and misleading manner, particularly in light of the ongoing legal proceedings before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in matters involving him and Aryan Khan. The portrayal, he contends, crosses legal boundaries and attempts to influence public opinion while the case remains sub judice.
A specific grievance raised in the suit pertains to a scene in which a character, after reciting the slogan “Satyamev Jayate”, allegedly makes an obscene gesture by showing the middle finger. Wankhede argues that such a depiction constitutes a serious violation of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, inviting penal consequences.
The suit further alleges that the content violates multiple provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), as it aims to “outrage public sentiment” by using offensive and obscene material. The petition urges the court to intervene to safeguard individual reputation and uphold the sanctity of national symbols and sentiments.
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