'No jurisdiction to entertain the plaint': Delhi High Court rejects Sameer Wankhede's defamation suit against Netflix series 'Ba***ds of Bollywood'

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday ruled that it has no territorial jurisdiction to hear IRS officer Sameer Wankhede's defamation lawsuit against "The Ba***ds of Bollywood" series produced by Shah Rukh Khan-owned Red Chillies Entertainment Pvt Ltd.

Refusing to entertain the lawsuit, Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav said Wankhede could file his plea before a court having jurisdiction over the issue.

"This court lacks the jurisdiction to entertain the plaint. The same is, therefore, returned to the plaintiff to be presented, if so advised, before a court of competent jurisdiction," the court said.

According to Wankehde, "defamatory content" was created in the web series to settle personal scores with him and avenge the arrest of Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan in a 2021 drugs case.

He said the series, written and directed by Aryan Khan, was orchestrated to target and malign him.

Wankhede sued Red Chillies and Netflix for defamation and sought Rs 2 crore in damages, which he wants donated to the Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for cancer patients.

Wankhede, in his lawsuit, claimed that the series depicts a character making an obscene gesture -- specifically, showing a middle finger -- after the character recites the slogan "Satyamev Jayate", which is part of the National Emblem.

This act constitutes a grave and sensitive violation of the provisions of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which attracts penal consequences under law, it said.