In a significant legal development, the Delhi High Court has dismissed the defamation lawsuit filed by former Narcotics Control Bureau officer Sameer Wankhede against Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son, Aryan Khan. The case centered around Aryan Khan's directorial debut on Netflix, The Ba**ds of Bollywood, which Wankhede alleged contained defamatory content targeting him.
Court's Jurisdictional Ruling
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, presiding over the case, delivered a clear verdict stating that the Delhi High Court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the plaint. The court formally returned the plaint to Wankhede, advising him to approach a court of competent jurisdiction for further proceedings.
"This Court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the plaint. The plaint is returned to the plaintiff to approach the Court of competent jurisdiction. Application, if any, stands dismissed," Justice Kaurav stated in his ruling, as reported by legal publication Bar and Bench.
Background of the Legal Dispute
The Defamation Allegations
Sameer Wankhede, an Indian Revenue Service officer who previously served as Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau, filed the defamation suit seeking Rs 2 crore in damages. He accused Aryan Khan and production company Red Chillies Entertainment of creating a "false, malicious, and defamatory" portrayal through a character in The Ba**ds of Bollywood that allegedly resembled him.
Wankhede claimed the character was deliberately conceptualized to malign his personal and professional image and argued that the series presented a misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies, potentially eroding public confidence in law enforcement institutions.
Historical Context: The 2021 Drug Case
The legal history between Wankhede and Aryan Khan dates back to October 2021, when Wankhede, then serving as NCB Zonal Director, arrested Aryan Khan following a drug raid at a cruise party in Mumbai. The arrest was made under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act (NDPS Act).
Aryan Khan spent 25 days in Mumbai Central Prison and was denied bail four times before finally being granted bail in October 2021. This high-profile case garnered significant media attention and public interest throughout its duration.
Legal Implications and Next Steps
While the Delhi High Court has dismissed the case on jurisdictional grounds, the ruling does not address the substantive merits of Wankhede's defamation claims. The court's decision simply indicates that the matter should be heard in a different judicial forum with proper jurisdiction over the case.
Wankhede now faces the decision of whether to pursue the matter in another court, as suggested by the Delhi High Court. The case highlights the complex intersection of entertainment media, personal reputation, and legal recourse in India's judicial system.
The entertainment industry and legal observers will be watching closely to see if Wankhede chooses to refile his defamation suit in a court with appropriate jurisdiction, potentially leading to further legal proceedings examining the boundaries between artistic expression and defamation in Indian media.
