By: The Trek News Desk
Former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede has filed a ₹2 crore defamation lawsuit against Aryan Khan, his father Shah Rukh Khan, and their production house Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., over the controversial Netflix series Ba***ds of Bollywood*. The legal action also names Netflix as a respondent.
The dispute erupted after viewers pointed out a character in the series that closely resembles Wankhede, the officer who arrested Aryan Khan in a high-profile drug case aboard a cruise ship in 2021.
“Malicious, Misleading, and Defamatory”, Wankhede Slams Series
In an official statement, Wankhede described the series as “false, malicious, and defamatory,” accusing it of intentionally targeting his reputation. He claimed that the show was “strategically crafted to damage not only his personal credibility but also the public perception of India’s anti-drug enforcement bodies.”
The former officer emphasized that the show’s timing is questionable, especially since the case between him and Aryan Khan remains sub judice in both the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai.
₹2 Crore Damages to Be Donated to Cancer Patients
Wankhede is seeking ₹2 crore in damages and has pledged to donate the entire amount to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital, aimed at supporting treatment for underprivileged cancer patients.
His legal team also raised concerns about the depiction of a scene in the series where a character is shown making an obscene gesture immediately after chanting “Satyamev Jayate”, the national motto. Wankhede alleges this violates the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, and has legal consequences under Indian law.
What Triggered the Controversy?
The Netflix show features a scene in which a loud, aggressive officer arrives at a high-profile party, claiming to lead a crusade against drug use in the film industry. Identifying himself as a member of an agency called “NCG”, a name strikingly similar to “NCB”, the character wears a white shirt and dark trousers, sporting a hairstyle and demeanour allegedly resembling Wankhede.
In a controversial scene, the officer detains a Bollywood actor despite having no solid evidence of drug use, while letting another non-industry guest go free. This, critics argue, appears to parody Wankhede’s handling of the 2021 cruise ship case.
Background: The Aryan Khan Drug Case
In October 2021, Sameer Wankhede led the NCB raid on the Cordelia Cruise near Mumbai, where Aryan Khan was arrested following allegations of drug consumption on board. Aryan spent nearly a month in jail before being released on bail.
However, in 2023, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) filed a corruption case against Wankhede and four others, accusing them of conspiring to extort ₹25 crore from the family of one of the cruise party attendees in exchange for not implicating him in the case.
Source: News Agencies
