The legal battle has turned fiery between ex-NCB Mumbai zonal director Sameer Wankhede and the entertainment production house Red Chillies Entertainment. Sameer Wankhede has moved to the Delhi High Court for relief against the streaming and distribution of 'Bads of Bollywood'. The suit says that the series, directed by Aryan Khan, tried to hamper Sameer’s reputation and also tries to disrupt the public trust in drug enforcement agencies.
Defamation claim and legal arguments
Wankhede’s plea asks for a permanent injunction and damages worth Rs 2 crore. Sameer mentioned that the amount should be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital. He clearly mentions that the series was “deliberately planned and executed” to influence viewers, stressing that the related cases remain subjudice in courts. The scene’s portrayal, according to Wankhede, tries to point him out by connecting his professional actions to the controversies involving Aryan Khan, which harms his reputation during judicial scrutiny.
The case also tries to look at the sequences that it mentions to be violating the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act by using obscene gestures and offensive content. Wankhede also puts stress on the point that the show also violates the Information Technology Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), therefore blaming producers for seeking to outrage national sentiment. Netflix and other streaming platforms have also been named respondents.
Wider legal and social context
Wankhede’s suit comes in the middle of the aftermath of a major controversy, which involved the 2021 cruise ship drug investigation, where he was leading the team that had taken Aryan Khan in custody. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had earlier filed charges against Wankhede, which included charges of criminal conspiracy and extortion, which he denies and claims are politically motivated.
The Delhi High Court will be hearing arguments involving the streaming restrictions and the defamatory nature of 'Bads of Bollywood'. The case shows the ongoing tensions between media portrayals and individual reputations, which are set against the backdrop of high-profile legal scrutiny in Bollywood and law enforcement.
