Delhi High Court Rejects Wankhede's Bid to Censor Article on Aryan Khan

In a significant development echoing the persistent legal ripples from the high-profile Cordelia cruise drug bust case, the Delhi High Court has firmly rejected a plea by former Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) officer Sameer Wankhede. Wankhede had sought to impose a stay on an article, provocatively titled "Aryan Khan's The Bads of Bollywood," published on the news portal 'Bollywood Bad News'.

The former zonal director, who was at the helm of the 2021 case involving Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan's son Aryan Khan, contended that the article was not only defamatory but also maliciously published at Aryan Khan's direct instigation.

Wankhede’s counsel argued passionately that the piece aimed to tarnish his reputation and that of his family, unfairly linking him to the widely publicized drug case.

However, Justice Neena Bansal Krishna, presiding over the matter, found no compelling urgency to grant an interim injunction against the article.

The court meticulously noted that Wankhede had already initiated a comprehensive defamation suit against the publication. Therefore, the intricate questions of defamation and the granting of any interim relief, such as a stay on publication, would be more appropriately and thoroughly adjudicated within the framework of that existing suit.

Adding to the court's rationale, it was highlighted that the news portal, 'Bollywood Bad News', had already taken an interim step by voluntarily removing Wankhede's name from the contentious article.

This proactive measure further diminished the perceived immediate threat or irreparable harm that an injunction would typically aim to prevent.

During the proceedings, a brief moment of clarification arose as the court initially mistook 'Bollywood Bad News' for 'Bollywood Bubble'. Once this distinction was clarified, the court's stance remained unwavering: the broader legal battle concerning defamation was already underway, and this separate application for a stay was redundant in the immediate context.

Ultimately, Wankhede was granted the liberty to withdraw his current application, with the explicit understanding that he could pursue all available remedies and reliefs within the ongoing defamation suit.

This judicial directive effectively shifts the focus back to the primary legal battle, underscoring the court’s preference for consolidated proceedings when related matters are already being addressed.

The High Court’s decision marks another chapter in the complex legal saga surrounding the aftermath of the Aryan Khan drug case, emphasizing due process and the appropriate forum for addressing grievances, even as public interest in the matter remains high.