Delhi HC Declines Wankhede’s Defamation Suit Over The Ba**ds of Bollywood*, Here’s Why

In a major legal setback, the Delhi High Court on Friday declared that former NCB officer Sameer Wankhede’s defamation suit against The Ba**ds of Bollywood is “not maintainable” in Delhi. The court asked him to amend the suit, saying he failed to properly establish jurisdiction for the complaint in Delhi.

Why the Court Rejected It

While Wankhede argued that the series was viewed by audiences across Delhi and that memes and reactions targeting him had originated there, the court was unconvinced. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said that the plaintiff had not sufficiently shown how the “cause of action” lies within Delhi. He observed that if Wankhede had made stronger claims that the defamatory content was especially damaging in Delhi, the court might have considered it differently.

The judge allowed Wankhede to amend his suit, but did not grant a hearing date stating that the registry would schedule it once the amended pleading is filed.

What Wankhede’s Original Suit Claimed

In the complaint, Wankhede alleged that The Ba**ds of Bollywood* portrays a character who closely resembles him in appearance and alleged behaviour, putting him and anti-narcotics officials in a negative light. The suit specifically pointed to a scene where a character utters “Satyamev Jayate” and then gestures with the middle finger, an act Wankhede claimed violated the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.

He had sought relief including the content’s removal (specifically from timestamp 32:02 to 33:50 in Episode 1), permanent injunctions, declaratory orders, and ₹2 crore in damages which he pledged to donate to Mumbai’s Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital.

The suit also argued that this portrayal was prejudicial because the real case involving Wankhede and Aryan Khan is sub judice (pending) before courts in Mumbai.

What This Means for His Case

This decision significantly weakens Wankhede’s legal strategy. The Delhi High Court has made clear that jurisdiction matters, a plaintiff must show that the court has the authority to entertain the suit. Because Wankhede failed to make that connection convincingly in his original filing, his case was dismissed for now.