Delhi High Court Summons Shah Rukh Khan, Netflix Over Sameer Wankhede Defamation Suit

Shah Rukh Khan summons by Delhi High Court in Sameer Wankhede defamation suit

The Delhi High Court on October 8, 2025, issued summons to actor Shah Rukh Khan, his production house Red Chillies Entertainment, and streaming giant Netflix in a civil defamation suit filed by IRS officer Sameer Wankhede. The suit addresses Wankhede’s alleged negative portrayal in the Netflix series, The Bads of Bollywood, which marks the directorial debut of Khan’s son, Aryan Khan.

Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, presiding over the case, also issued notices to a list of other significant defendants, including Twitter (now X), Google, Meta Platforms, RPSG Lifestyle Media Private Limited, and the placeholder defendant John Doe. The court has directed all defendants to file their replies within seven days, escalating the legal battle surrounding the controversial web series. The case is slated for its next hearing on October 30.

Wankhede, the former Mumbai Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) who led the high-profile 2021 cruise ship drug raid involving Aryan Khan, has strongly argued that the series constitutes a malicious and defamatory attack on his reputation and that of law enforcement agencies.

The petition claims that the Netflix series projects an inaccurate and unfavourable image of anti-drug enforcement authorities, undermining public trust in law enforcement agencies. Wankhede alleges that the show was intentionally designed and produced to tarnish his reputation, especially while legal proceedings related to the 2021 case are still ongoing in multiple Mumbai courts.

The inclusion of major social media and technology platforms—Google, Meta Platforms, and X (formerly Twitter)—among the summoned parties underscores the plaintiff’s attempt to tackle the dissemination of the allegedly defamatory content and the subsequent online trolling faced by him and his family.

During the proceedings, Wankhede’s counsel highlighted the severe impact of the content, stating that the series has led to “posts trolling me, my wife, my sister,” which are “ex facie defamatory.” By issuing summons to the tech and media giants, the Delhi High Court has effectively mandated their participation in the legal process, addressing the broader digital footprint of the alleged defamatory material.

The defamation suit seeks significant relief, including a permanent injunction to restrain the streaming and distribution of the show. Wankhede has also demanded ₹2 crore in damages, which he has pledged to donate to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients.

Furthermore, the plea raises a serious objection to a scene in the series where a character allegedly makes an obscene gesture after reciting the national slogan ‘Satyamev Jayate’. Wankhede’s legal team argues that this act constitutes a “grave and sensitive violation of the provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971,” which attracts criminal consequences under Indian law.

While the court issued summons to all parties, Justice Kaurav did not pass any immediate interim injunction order to take down the content at this stage. The court emphasized the need for defendants to file their replies first, stating, “We appreciate that there is cause in your favour to approach this court but there is a process to be followed.”

The high-stakes legal confrontation now moves into a critical phase, with all defendants, Shah Rukh Khan, Netflix and others racing against the seven-day deadline to file their responses before the matter is taken up again on October 30.

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