Sameer Wankhede, the former Zonal Director of the Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB), has filed a defamation suit in the Delhi High Court against Red Chillies Entertainment, owned by Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan and his wife Gauri Khan. The lawsuit is in response to the Netflix series The Ba***ds of Bollywood, which Wankhede claims portrays the NCB in a false and defamatory manner. He is seeking damages of ₹2 crore, along with a permanent injunction against the series.

Wankhede's petition argues that the series presents a misleading view of anti-drug enforcement agencies, which he believes undermines public trust in law enforcement. He stated, "This series disseminates a misleading and negative portrayal of anti-drug enforcement agencies, thereby eroding public confidence in law enforcement institutions."

The former NCB officer, who led the investigation into Aryan Khan's alleged drug involvement in 2021, contends that the series was designed to damage his reputation, especially as legal proceedings related to the case are still ongoing in the Bombay High Court and the NDPS Special Court in Mumbai.

Wankhede also raised concerns about a specific scene in the series where a character makes an obscene gesture after reciting the national slogan "Satyamev Jayate." He described this as a serious violation of the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971, which could lead to legal consequences.

In addition to the damages, Wankhede has requested that the court prevent the streaming and distribution of the series, asserting that it misrepresents the events surrounding the investigation and unfairly targets him. He has stated that the damages should be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital for the treatment of cancer patients.

The Delhi High Court is expected to hear the case soon. Wankhede's legal troubles have been compounded by a separate investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which has accused him of attempting to extort ₹25 crore from Shah Rukh Khan in connection with the same drug case. Wankhede has denied these allegations, claiming they are politically motivated.