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IRS officer Sameer Wankhede’s lawyer in the defamation case filed by him related to Aryan Khan’s debut web series The Ba**ads of Bollywood told the Delhi High Court on Monday that the makers of the web series were hiding behind a disclaimer, and their defense of satire was not complete.
Wankhede has filed a defamation suit against Red Chillies and Netflix for allegedly tarnishing his reputation over his series. A compensation of Rs 2 crore, which he wants to donate to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for cancer patients.
Sameer Wankhede’s lawyer argues web series is ‘sly’
During the proceedings on Monday, Wankhede’s counsel said the makers of the web series were hiding behind a disclaimer and had adopted a “sly approach”. The lawyer said, “Disclaimers mean nothing. The proof of the pudding is in how people consume it.”
He said, “The defense of satire is not absolute. You have taken a dig at me in my professional capacity.” The lawyer said that the sarcasm and satire directed at the officer were made in a spirit of malice and vengeance. Wankhede’s lawyer said, “This is a story of vendetta which is being described as fictitious.”
After this the court asked questions about artistic freedom from the production house. Red Chillies’ arguments are scheduled to begin on November 17.
Sameer Wankhede’s petition against the producers of The Ba**ds of Bollywood
In interim relief, Wankhede has sought removal of the alleged defamatory material from several websites. Their petition states that the series spreads a misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies, thereby undermining public confidence in law enforcement institutions.
Wankhede said the series has been conceived with a deliberate and prejudicial intention to malign his reputation, especially when the case involving Adhikari and Shah Rukh Khan’s son Aryan Khan is pending and sub judice before the Bombay High Court and the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) special court in Mumbai.
On October 8, the High Court issued notices and summons to the defendants in the defamation suit, including Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Netflix,
In the previous hearing, Justice Purushindra Kumar Kaurav had given time to Wankhede, Shah Rukh Khan-owned Red Chillies Entertainment and OTT platform Netflix to file their written arguments.
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