Ba***ds Of Bollywood Created To Take Revenge Of Aryan Khan's Arrest: Sameer Wankhede Tells Delhi High Court

IRS officer Sameer Wankhede has told the Delhi High Court that Netflix series “Ba***ds of Bollywood” has been created to take revenge of the arrest of Aryan Khan, director of the show, in relation to an alleged drugs case. Wankhede has made the submission in response to the reply filed by Red Chillies Entertainment while opposing the interim injunction application in his defamation suit. For context, Wankhede was the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer who led the investigation in 2021, which resulted in the arrest of Aryan Khan. Later, NCB Special Investigation Team (SIT) found insufficient evidence and gave clean chit to Aryan Khan in May 2022.The production company has claimed that the portrayal of the characters in the series is purely in the nature of satire and parody, and in no manner amounts to defamation.It has also stated that Wankhede has “sullied his own reputation” through his conduct and that he was already the subject of ridicule and memes, long before the series was broadcasted.Opposing the reply, Wankhede has submitted:“The correct position however, is that the Defamatory Content has been created to settle personal scores with the Plaintiff, and revenge the arrest of Mr. Aryan Khan. The Defamatory Content is a well-crafted conspiracy to misuse cinematic power for a personal vendetta and then to hide behind the convenient veil of “satire”.”He has added that Red Chillies was being mischievous before the Court by giving the colour of satire, to this calculated and vindictive “hit job”.Further, his response states that under the garb of “so-called satire”, the production company cannot be permitted to ridicule, humiliate and defame him.Wankhede has said that the series is made to destroy the professional reputation and personal dignity of a serving IRS officer who has devoted decades to public service. He has also said that the production company was deliberately making reference to the disputes or legal proceedings that are sub judice before multiple forums or courts. “The statement of Defendant No.1 that the Plaintiff “was already the subject of public ridicule and adverse commentary” is a self- condemning admission of its malicious intent. By asserting that the Plaintiff was “already” being ridiculed, the Defendant seeks to justify its further acts of ridicule and defamation under the garb of existing criticism, thereby admitting that its own actions were intended to add fuel to that very fire,” Wankhede has said.“This contention exposes the Defendant's malice, that since the Plaintiff was allegedly already a target of public commentary, it had a free hand to demean him further, that too, for commercial gain. Thus, by its own admission, the Defendant concedes that its series was not an independent act of artistic expression, but a continuation of a targeted campaign to further ridicule, mock, and malign the Plaintiff, an act that squarely constitutes aggravated defamation and abuse of creative freedom,” he has added. Wankhede further submits that Red Chillies should introspect before maligning a public servant whose service record is “fortified by commendations and vigilance clearance.”He has submitted that Red Chillies' conduct is not merely defamatory but reflects a deliberate, premeditated, and malicious design to assassinate the character of a serving officer who has discharged his duties with courage and integrity.“The Defendant's attempt to claim immunity under the garb of satire is an insult, not merely to the Plaintiff, but to the uniform itself. A law enforcement officers or public servant's duty is not a stage act; it is an act of public service, often performed at great personal risk. It demands respect not ridicule. Those who risk their lives for the safety and justice of the public, cannot be made subjects of public mockery for the amusement of an audience,” the response states. The matter was taken up for hearing yesterday by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav who listed it for hearing on November 10 and asked all the parties to file their written submissions. The suit names the following as defendants: Red Chillies Entertainment Private Limited, Netflix, X Corp (formerly Twitter), Google LLC, Meta Platforms, RPG Lifestyle Media Private Limited and John Doe.Wankhede has sought Rs. 2 crores 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” broadcasted in the series.It is Wankhede's case that the Netflix series has been “deliberately conceptualised and executed” with the intent to malign his reputation in a “colourable and prejudicial manner”, especially when the case involving him and Aryan khan is pending and sub-judice before the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court.It has also been averred that the series depicts a character making an “obscene...

Ba***ds Of Bollywood Created To Take Revenge Of Aryan Khan's Arrest: Sameer Wankhede Tells Delhi High Court

Nupur Thapliyal

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