Delhi High Court issues notice to Red Chillies, Netflix in Sameer Wankhede defamation case
New Delhi: The Delhi High Court issued notices to Red Chillies Entertainment, Netflix, and other parties, on Wednesday, in a defamation suit filed by IRS officer Sameer Wankhede against the series “Ba***ds of Bollywood.”
The directions were given by Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav to defendants, including Red Chillies, X, Google and Meta Platforms, to submit their replies within seven days. The case is scheduled for further hearing on October 30.
Wankhede’s request to remove the allegedly defamatory content from online platforms, did not receive any interim relief by the court. The court noted that such action could have wide implications.
In the cruise ship drug case, Wankhede had led the 2021 NCB raid and Aryan was arrested. Wankhede in his petition had alleged that the series, produced by Red Chillies and streamed on Netflix, misrepresents him and undermines the credibility of anti-drug enforcement agencies. He has sought damages of ₹2 crore, stating that the amount would be donated to Tata Memorial Cancer Hospital.
The plea claims that the series deliberately depicts Wankhede in a false and prejudicial manner and highlights a scene in which a character makes an obscene gesture while reciting the national slogan “Satyamev Jayate,” which, according to the petition, violates the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, 1971.
The petition further asserts that the content contravenes provisions of the Information Technology Act and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. It also alleged that it is designed to outrage public sentiment.
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Lebanon appoints new representative for talks with Israel, rejects linkage to Iran
Beirut: Lebanon’s has moved to underline its independent position in ongoing regional developments, amid attempts to link the country to the broader conflict involving Iran, the United States and Israel.
President Joseph Aoun, while announcing the appointment of former US ambassador Simon Karam as Lebanon’s representative in talks with Israel, made it clear that Karam would be the sole representative for Lebanon and that there would be no substitute.
The move comes in response to what the Lebanese officials see as efforts by Iran to tie Lebanon’s situation to the wider regional conflict. Iran had indicated that there would be no ceasefire involving the US, Israel and Iran unless it also included a ceasefire in Lebanon.
Some groups, including Hezbollah and its supporters, had expressed support for linking the situations, citing concerns that the Lebanese government has limited leverage in negotiations with Israel. Lebanon is not formally a party to the conflict, and its army is considered weak.
However, others, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, have opposed this approach. They view Iran’s stance as an attempt to influence Lebanon’s internal affairs and see it as undermining the country’s sovereignty.
Officials backing the government’s position say the move is aimed at reaffirming Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring that decisions about peace and ceasefire within the country are not dictated externally.
They also see it as a safeguard, so that any breakdown in talks between the US, Israel and Iran does not automatically lead to renewed conflict in Lebanon.
