'Not in our jurisdiction': Delhi High Court dismisses Sameer Wankhede's defamation plea against Aryan Khan's 'The B***ds of Bollywood'

The Delhi High Court on Thursday dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed by former Narcotics Control Bureau officer (NCB) Sameer Wankhede against Netflix and Red Chillies Entertainment. The case concerned Wankhede's depiction in the Netflix series 'The B***ds of Bollywood', directed by Aryan Khan, the son of actor Shah Rukh Khan.

The court ruled that it did not have the jurisdiction to hear the plea, but clarified that Wankhede could seek recourse through a different legal forum. 

This decision removes an immediate legal barrier for Aryan Khan and the show's producers, enabling the series to continue streaming without interruption from this specific case.

Wankhede previously made headlines in 2021 after he arrested Aryan Khan for alleged possession, consumption and trafficking of drugs. He alleged that the Netflix series damaged his reputation and sought damages amounting to Rs 2 crore, stating that any award would go to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for cancer patients.

The former NCB officer's plea also objected to a particular segment in the series. In the disputed scene, a character is shown raising the middle finger immediately after uttering the national slogan, "Satyamev Jayate".

Senior lawyer J Sai Deepak, representing Wankhede, argued in court that the defamation suit was maintainable in Delhi. He referred to Wankhede’s relatives residing in the capital and pointed to ongoing departmental proceedings against the former NCB officer in Delhi as grounds for jurisdiction.

In contrast, the legal team for Red Chillies Entertainment challenged whether the Delhi court was the proper forum. They maintained that since Wankhede lives in Mumbai and Red Chillies’ registered office is also in Mumbai, the suit should have been filed there.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav found merit in the arguments regarding jurisdiction and dismissed the case. However, the judge clarified that Wankhede remains entitled to seek a remedy from an appropriate forum in accordance with the law.

Following the high court's ruling, 'The B***ds of Bollywood' can continue to be made available on Netflix without legal restraint from this complaint. The outcome is seen as a significant relief for Aryan Khan and the production team.

Wankhede’s legal challenge focused on safeguarding his individual reputation and highlighted specific elements of the series, including concerns about the portrayal of official slogans such as "Satyamev Jayate". The dispute has drawn attention to jurisdictional issues when public figures contest their depiction in widely distributed digital content.