The Delhi High Court has rejected the defamation suit filed by Indian Revenue Service officer Sameer Wankhede, which challenged his alleged portrayal in Aryan Khan's Netflix series, The Ba***ds of Bollywood. The court held that it did not have the jurisdiction to entertain the plea and, on that ground, declined to examine the merits of the case.
In its order, the High Court observed that the suit, as presented, could not be heard before it and therefore could not be taken up for adjudication, as per ANI.
On October 8, the Delhi High Court issued notice to Netflix and Red Chillies Entertainment in the defamation case filed by Sameer Wankhede. The allegations of defamation stemmed from the portrayal of an officer in the Netflix series The Ba***ds of Bollywood, which Wankhede claimed bears a resemblance to him. The court had directed Netflix and Red Chillies Entertainment to file their responses to Wankhede’s petition.
Reacting to the defamation case filed by him, Wankhede had then spoken about the impact the controversy has had on his personal life, including the alleged harassment faced by his family in its aftermath. Speaking to ANI in October, he said, "My personal belief is that this has nothing to do with my job or my profession. In my personal capacity, I've approached the Delhi High Court. I wouldn't like to comment on the court proceedings or the issues involved, because the matter has been sub judice... This is a matter of self-respect, personal dignity, and personal honour. Whatever satire or parody you create, do it with your own people."
He further stated, "Today, the issue of drug abuse has become a major issue for our nation, and by highlighting such things, you're insulting not just one person, but those who have worked with me, and others who fight against drug abuse... My family has nothing to do with my profession. They have nothing to do with my cases, my profession but why are they feeling the brunt of these kinds of things? Hate messages are coming from Pakistan, UAE, and Bangladesh. I will not accept that because of me, they are facing the brunt of it... We have regularly informed the police about the threats that my sister and my wife keep getting."
The defamation dispute traces its origins to the 2021 Mumbai cruise drug raid, in which Sameer Wankhede arrested Aryan Khan, son of actor Shah Rukh Khan. Aryan Khan was cleared of all charges in 2022 and later directed The Ba***ds of Bollywood for Netflix, which released on September 18, 2025.
Also read: Sameer Wankhede vs Aryan Khan: The Ba***ds of Bollywood backstory you need to know
