The Delhi High Court has granted former Indian Revenue Service officer Sameer Wankhede the liberty to pursue his defamation suit against the Netflix series The Ba***ds of Bollywood in a competent court in Mumbai, after holding that the national capital court lacks territorial jurisdiction to hear the matter.
Wankhede’s suit, which was originally filed in the Delhi High Court, alleged that the web series directed by Aryan Khan and produced by Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix featured a character that bore resemblance to him and contained content he claimed was defamatory and harmful to his reputation.
The Delhi High Court, in its latest hearing, allowed Wankhede’s application under the Civil Procedure Code, giving him permission to present his plaint before the City Civil & Sessions Court, Dindoshi in Mumbai. The court noted that the Delhi High Court did not have territorial jurisdiction over the case and directed both parties to appear before the Mumbai court on February 12, when Wankhede plans to institute the suit.
Wankhede’s original petition alleged that certain scenes in the first episode of The Ba***ds of Bollywood portrayed a character said to be based on him in a misleading or defamatory manner, particularly in relation to his role in high-profile law enforcement matters. He has sought the removal or restraint of specific scenes and damages, asserting that the depiction has damaged his reputation.
Previously, the Delhi High Court had rejected Wankhede’s defamation plea on the ground of lack of jurisdiction, prompting the application to transfer the matter to a court in the appropriate place. With the latest order, the case will now proceed in Mumbai, where the defendants, including Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix, will be required to respond.
The high-profile dispute stems from The Ba***ds of Bollywood, a satirical series linked to events involving the prosecution of Aryan Khan in a 2021 cruise ship drugs case. Wankhede’s suit has gained public attention because of the personalities involved and the broader debate it raises about the limits of satire and fictionalisation in dramatised portrayals of real-life events and individuals.
The case will now proceed in Mumbai, where the defendants will be required to respond to Wankhede’s suit. The implications of this case are significant, as it raises questions about the responsibility of creators and producers in ensuring that their work does not cause harm to individuals or their reputations.
The Delhi High Court’s decision to grant Wankhede the liberty to pursue his defamation suit in Mumbai is a significant development in this case. It is likely that the case will now attract more attention and scrutiny, particularly given the high-profile nature of the parties involved.
Also, read about the Delhi High Court’s earlier rejection of Wankhede’s defamation suit: Delhi High Court rejects Sameer Wankhede’s defamation suit over Aryan Khan’s Netflix series The Ba***ds of Bollywood
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