Delhi HC summons Shah Rukh Khan, Netflix over Sameer Wankhede’s defamation suit

The Delhi High Court has issued summons to Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., owned by Shah Rukh Khan, and Netflix with regard to the civil defamation suit filed by IRS officer Sameer Wankhede. The suit was instituted on Wednesday, 8 October.

Sameer has alleged defamation in a malicious content published and circulated through the web series ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’ produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, which has gravely tarnished the reputation, dignity, and public image of Sameer and his family.

The issuance of summons reflects the Court’s prima facie satisfaction that the allegations warrant judicial examination. The next date of hearing has been fixed, and the proceedings will continue in accordance with law. In the earlier hearing the Court had questioned Wankhede as to how the suit was maintainable in Delhi and asked him to amend his plaint disclosing appropriate reasons.

The lawsuit names Red Chillies Entertainment Private Limited, Netflix, X Corp (formerly Twitter), Google LLC, Meta Platforms, RPG Lifestyle Media Private Limited and John Doe as defendants.

Sameer Wankhede has claimed that the webseries has deliberately biased and defamatory content against him. He also alleged that the Sameer Wankhede and Aryan Khan case is currently pending in the Bombay High Court and a special NDPS court in Mumbai.

He alleged that a character in the web series is shown saying, "Satyamev Jayate" and immediately after that the character is seen making an obscene gesture. It is an insult to the slogan which is part of the national emblem and is an offence punishable under the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

Sameer has sought Rs.2 crore as damages which will be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients. The suit has been filed seeking permanent and mandatory injunction against the production house and others, against the allegedly "false, malicious, and defamatory video” broadcast in the series.

It has also been alleged that the content of the series violates various sections of the Information Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code as it attempts to hurt national sentiments by using obscene and objectionable content.