Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede offered a cryptic response—”Satyamev Jayate” (Truth alone triumphs)—after the Delhi High Court dismissed his defamation suit against Aryan Khan’s debut web series, The Ba*ds Of Bollywood.
Wankhede, who had filed an FIR claiming the Netflix series portrayed a defamatory caricature of him, refused to comment further on the ongoing legal matter but asserted that “the truth should prevail.”
His brief remark came on the heels of the Delhi High Court questioning the maintainability of the ₹2 crore suit, which was filed against Shah Rukh Khan and Gauri Khan’s production house, Red Chillies Entertainment.
HC Questions Jurisdiction, Rejects Plea
The core of the legal setback for Wankhede lay in the question of jurisdiction. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav of the Delhi High Court raised serious doubts about why the defamation suit was filed in Delhi instead of Mumbai, where the events related to the original controversy and the key figures are primarily based.
“Your plaint is not maintainable here in Delhi. I am rejecting your plaint,” Justice Kaurav stated, directing Wankhede to amend his plea to address the maintainability issues. The court noted that it could have considered the matter only if the maximum damage from the alleged defamation had occurred in Delhi.
The Defamation Suit: A ‘Parody’ and ₹2 Crore in Damages
Wankhede’s suit claimed a character in The Ba*ds Of Bollywood was an unmistakable and malicious parody of himself. He alleged the show disseminated “false, malicious, and defamatory content” to damage his reputation, particularly by depicting an anti-drug officer who selectively targets figures from Bollywood.
The former NCB officer demanded damages of ₹2 crore, stating he intended to donate the entire amount to cancer patients. The plea was filed against Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Netflix, and others involved in the production and streaming of the series.
Focus Shifts to Drug Awareness
Choosing to redirect the conversation away from the legal defeat, Wankhede instead spoke about the critical need for drug awareness. “I won’t comment on all this. I’ll just say one thing: Satyamev Jayate,” he said.
He continued, highlighting local drug issues, “In our Mumbai area, the issues of drug consumption, and especially in Northern Mumbai or Eastern Mumbai, we need to create awareness among the public about what types of drugs exist.” His comments were made after participating in a drug awareness camp in Mumbai.
The defamation suit is the latest chapter in the ongoing legal and public friction between Wankhede and the Khan family, which began with Aryan Khan’s arrest in the 2021 Cordelia cruise drug case. Wankhede has since been accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) of attempting to extort ₹25 crore from the family, an allegation he has vehemently denied.