Delhi HC allows Sameer Wankhede to pursue defamation case in Mumbai against Aryan Khan’s web series ‘The Ba***ds Of Bollywood’ | – The Times of India

Sameer Wankhede had filed a defamation case against the makers of Aryan Khan‘s show ‘The B***ds Of Bollywood’. Wankhede had originally moved the Delhi High Court claiming that a character shown in Episode 1 of the Netflix series ‘The Ba***ds of Bollywood’, produced by Red Chillies Entertainment, was a defamatory and thinly veiled portrayal of him. The show, according to Wankhede, draws from events surrounding the Aryan Khan drugs case.As per the latest update on the matter, Delhi High Court has allowed IRS officer Sameer Wankhede to pursue his defamation case against ‘The Ba***ds Of Bollywood’ in the Mumbai court, after concluding that it does not have territorial jurisdiction to hear the matter.The case was heard by Justice Vikas Mahajan, who granted Wankhede’s request to withdraw the suit from Delhi and file it before a competent court in Mumbai. The court directed all parties to appear before the Mumbai court on February 12, the date on which Wankhede intends to institute the proceedings afresh.

During the hearing, Wankhede’s counsel referred to an earlier order dated January 29 passed by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, under which the plaint had been returned under the Civil Procedure Code with liberty to approach the appropriate forum. Following that order, Wankhede moved an application under Order VII Rule 10A of the CPC seeking facilitation to shift the case to Mumbai. Allowing the plea, the court noted that all procedural requirements had been fulfilled and formally paved the way for the matter to be taken up by the City Civil Court in Mumbai.He had sought directions for the removal or restraint of certain scenes, arguing that the portrayal harmed his reputation and dignity. Wankhede contended that the character’s appearance, behaviour and mannerisms closely resembled him and had been widely identified as such in media coverage.The defendants, however, raised a preliminary objection on jurisdiction, arguing that the case ought to have been filed in Mumbai since Wankhede resides there and Red Chillies Entertainment’s registered office is also based in the city. They also maintained that the series is fictional and satirical in nature and does not depict the Cordelia cruise raid.Accepting these arguments, Justice Kaurav had earlier ruled that the Delhi High Court could not entertain the suit and directed that the plaint be returned. With the latest order, that decision has now been given procedural effect, clearing the path for Wankhede to continue his legal challenge in Mumbai.