Ex-Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede has moved the Delhi High Court, filing a defamation suit against Shah Rukh Khan, his production company Red Chillies Entertainment, and Netflix for the depiction of a character inspired by him in the web series The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, directed by Aryan Khan.

Wankhede has demanded Rs 2 crore in damages, stating that the amount will be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital to support cancer patients. In a statement, he said the series “spreads a false and malicious portrayal of anti-drug agencies, undermining public confidence in law enforcement institutions.”

According to Wankhede, the series was “deliberately designed to tarnish his reputation,” particularly while his ongoing legal case involving Aryan Khan remains sub-judice in the Bombay High Court and NDPS Special Court, Mumbai. He also alleged that a scene depicting a character making an obscene gesture while reciting the national motto “Satyamev Jayate” violates the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

The controversy dates back to October 2021, when Aryan Khan, along with co-accused, was arrested in a high-profile NCB drugs case during a Mumbai cruise raid, with Wankhede heading the investigation. Aryan Khan spent 25 days in custody before being granted bail. All charges against him were later dropped in May 2022, and Wankhede was removed from the case following allegations of misconduct.

Since its release on September 18, the Netflix series has triggered widespread online debate, with viewers drawing parallels between Wankhede and the character shown attending a Bollywood party in search of drug users. The former officer’s suit asserts that the portrayal contains obscene and offensive material that also breaches provisions of the Information Technology Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS).

The Delhi High Court will now hear Wankhede’s plea, which seeks permanent and mandatory injunctions, a declaratory order, and damages for the alleged defamation.