Fri Sep 26 06:40:54 UTC 2025: **Here’s a summary of the provided text:**
The Delhi High Court questioned the maintainability of a defamation suit filed by former NCB Mumbai Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede against Shahrukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment and Netflix over their web series “The Ba***ds of Bollywood.” Wankhede claims the series defames him and seeks Rs 2 crore in damages, to be donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital. The court granted Wankhede time to amend his plea to demonstrate how the series has specifically defamed him in Delhi. He argues the series portrays anti-drug agencies negatively, eroding public trust, and is deliberately intended to malign his reputation, especially considering the pending case involving Shahrukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan.
**Here’s the rewritten text as a news article for “The Hindu”:**
**Delhi Court Questions Maintainability of Wankhede’s Defamation Suit Against SRK’s Production House**
**New Delhi, September 26, 2025:** The Delhi High Court on Friday raised concerns regarding the maintainability of a defamation suit filed by Sameer Wankhede, former Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) in Mumbai, against actor Shahrukh Khan’s Red Chillies Entertainment and streaming giant Netflix. The suit pertains to their web series “The Ba***ds of Bollywood,” which Wankhede alleges maligns his reputation.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav questioned Wankhede’s lawyer, Sandeep Sethi, on how the plea could be maintained in Delhi, given the alleged defamation’s source. Sethi argued that the series is intended for consumption across various cities, including Delhi, thereby impacting Wankhede’s reputation within the capital. The court granted Wankhede time to amend his application to clarify the basis for the suit’s maintainability in Delhi.
Wankhede is seeking Rs 2 crore in damages, which he intends to donate to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for cancer patients. His plea asserts that the web series disseminates a “misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies,” thereby eroding public confidence in these institutions.
The suit further claims the series is a deliberate attempt to malign Wankhede’s reputation, particularly in light of the ongoing legal case involving Shahrukh Khan’s son, Aryan Khan, which is pending before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai. The court is expected to hear the matter after Wankhede submits his amended application.
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