Category: legal
‘Ba***ds of Bollywood is not a documentary on the Cordelia cruise incident’: Shah Rukh Khan-owned Red Chillies counters Sameer Wankhede’s defamation claim
A legal battle is underway between IRS officer Sameer Wankhede and Shah Rukh Khan’s production house Red Chillies Entertainment over the Netflix web series The Ba***ds of Bollywood, directed by Aryan Khan. Wankhede has filed a Rs 2 crores defamation suit at the Delhi High Court, claiming that the show’s portrayal of a government officer is a veiled depiction of him and has damaged his reputation, particularly in relation to the 2021 Cordelia Empress cruise drug case involving Aryan Khan. In response, Red Chillies Entertainment opposed Wankhede’s plea for an interim injunction to stop streaming the series. Senior advocate Neeraj Kishan Kaul, representing Red Chillies, argued that while the show draws inspiration from overzealous officers, it does not specifically depict or reference the Cordelia cruise incident. Kaul stressed, “Can satire and fiction co-exist? There is no law that it cannot co-exist. I may be partly inspired by real persons and stories yet there can be disclaimers, no problem with two existing together. Where is the ill-will or malice? This is about a success story in a Bollywood party.”He further argued, “We are not looking at people who are sensitive, hurt is not ground for malice. Can you pick a stray instance, a passage here or there? The series is about 20 different issues. We do not show a documentary on the Cordelia cruise incident. I am inspired by overzealous officers. That is far from saying that this is the Cordelia cruise story.”Kaul further claimed that Wankhede is fond of giving interviews to the media and said, “You cannot say that the person depicting ills in Bollywood cannot show overzealous officers. I cannot be responsible for what other people say. I am fully entitled to depict issues ailing Bollywood. Even if I am to project someone, a public official cannot be that thin-skinned,” on behalf of Red Chillies. Concluding his argument, Kaul said, “Even if I portray you unjustly it is still not the case. Every scene in this show is exaggerated. I am not ridiculing him or the emblem. I am talking about officials who have lofty ideas.”The next hearing is scheduled on November 27, 2025, where the court will hear arguments on behalf of Netflix. Also Read: Delhi HC flags bias in Aryan Khan’s The Ba***ds Of Bollywood as Sameer Wankhede accuses Netflix show of targeting him.
Karisma Kapoor renews Rs 66 lakhs Bandra apartment lease amid battle over Sunjay Kapur’s Rs 30,000-crores estate: Report
Karisma Kapoor has made headlines once again, this time for a major personal move amid an ongoing legal dispute over her late ex-husband Sunjay Kapur’s colossal estate. The actress, whose children Samaira Kapur and Kiaan Raj Kapur are currently embroiled in a legal battle with Sunjay Kapur’s widow, Priya Sachdev Kapur, has reportedly renewed the lease on her luxury Bandra West apartment. According to documents reviewed by Square Yards, Karisma has signed a new one-year agreement for her swanky residence in the Grand Bay Condominium on Hill Road, Bandra West, with the total lease value pegged at Rs 66. 12 lakhs. This premium apartment spans a generous 2, 200 sq ft and includes three dedicated car parking spaces, further underlining its exclusive appeal. The renewed lease was registered on November 14, 2025, and required a stamp duty payment of Rs 17, 100 along with registration charges of Rs 1, 000. A security deposit of Rs 20 lakhs has been included in the agreement, while the monthly rent is set at Rs 5. 51 lakhs for the duration of the one-year term, totaling Rs 66. 12 lakhs for the full period. The space continues to be rented out to Kongsberg Maritime India Pvt Ltd, the same company that has held the lease previously. Under the earlier agreement, signed in November 2023, the monthly rent amounted to Rs 5 lakhs for the first year and Rs 5. 25 lakhs for the second, reaching Rs 1. 23 crore across two years. This property update comes at a time when Karisma’s family finds itself at a pivotal juncture in the continuing estate dispute. Recent courtroom developments saw Karisma’s legal team claim that Samaira’s university fees remained unpaid due to lack of clearance by the estate’s managers. However, this assertion was vigorously challenged in court by Priya Sachdev Kapur, who presented receipts showing the fees had indeed been paid Rs 95 lakhs per semester with the next instalment only due in December, as confirmed by her lawyer Sheyl Trehan. The central issue, however, remains the contested will of Sunjay Kapur. Karisma’s children have alleged that their stepmother Priya forged or altered the will to exclude them from Sunjay’s estimated Rs 30, 000-crores estate. Priya Kapur’s legal counsel, led by senior advocate Rajiv Nayar, has dismissed these claims outright, arguing in court that it is common for a husband to leave all his assets to his wife, referencing family tradition as precedent. Sunjay Kapur, an eminent industrialist, passed away in London this past June following a polo match, a tragedy that has since sparked a high-profile legal battle between his widow and children. Both parties continue to present evidence, receipts, and arguments to the Delhi High Court as the case unfolds. Also Read: Karisma Kapoor and Terry Crews break the internet with a crossover that blends two entertainment worlds.
Thailand: Rights Priorities for New Government
Click to expand Image Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul after a press conference at Parliament in Bangkok, September 3, 2025. © 2025 Sakchai Lalit/AP Photo (Bangkok) The new Thai government should reverse the trend of past administrations and take concrete action to uphold human rights, Human Rights Watch said in a letter to Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on November 12, 2025. Anutin took office on September 7 following a parliamentary election and royal endorsement.“The Anutin government should make human rights a priority and demonstrate a commitment through swift and effective action,” said Elaine Pearson, Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “The government should revoke abusive laws, end the repression of fundamental rights, and exonerate all those prosecuted for peacefully expressing their views.”Since the 2014 military coup, Thai authorities have imposed tight restrictions on viewpoints critical of the government and dissident opinions. They have prosecuted nearly 2, 000 people for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and peaceful public assembly. At least 284 people have been prosecuted on draconian lese majeste (insulting the monarchy) charges. The authorities have often held critics of the monarchy in pretrial detention for months without access to bail. The Thai government should reform the lese majeste law, adopt a moratorium on prosecution and pretrial detention under the current law, and ensure that any amnesty bill adopted by parliament includes amnesty for critics of the monarchy, Human Rights Watch said. The government should also immediately dismiss all pending Covid-19 restriction-related charges. The nationwide enforcement of emergency measures to control the spread of Covid-19 was lifted in October 2022, but at least 1, 469 people are still being prosecuted under the charges related to those measures. The killing and enforced disappearance of human rights defenders and other civil society activists remains a serious blot on Thailand’s human rights record. Cover-ups have effectively blocked efforts to pursue justice, even in high-profile cases, such as the ethnic Lahu activist Chaiyaphum Pa-sae, the ethnic Karen activist Porlajee Rakchongchareon, and the Muslim lawyer Somchai Neelapaijit. The authorities have failed to protect rights defenders from reprisals by government agencies and private companies using strategic lawsuits against public participation (known as SLAPPs). The Thai government should immediately curb the abuse of the judicial system to harass and punish critics and whistleblowers. In November, United Nations human rights experts expressed concerns about reports of death threats and online attacks against Senator Angkhana Neelapaijit, a former national human rights commissioner, and Human Rights Watch adviser Sunai Phasuk as a result of their comments regarding possible international humanitarian law violations in the recent Thailand-Cambodia border conflict. Prime Minister Anutin should enforce measures to end torture and enforced disappearance in line with the law on the Prevention and Suppression of Torture and Enforced Disappearance. Numerous allegations of police and military torture and other ill-treatment have gone unpunished. None of the outstanding cases of enforced disappearance have been resolved, including cases of nine exiled Thai dissidents who were abducted in neighboring countries during the previous government of Gen. Prayut Chan-ocha. The UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances has raised concerns about enforced disappearances in the context of transfers of dissidents between Thailand and neighboring countries. Thai authorities in recent years have violated the international prohibition against refoulement, that is returning refugees and asylum seekers to countries where they are likely to face persecution, torture or other serious ill-treatment, or a threat to life. Thai authorities have forcibly returned asylum seekers and refugees from Bahrain, Cambodia, China, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Turkey, Vietnam, and other countries. This inhumane practice undermines Thailand’s reputation as a safe haven for people fleeing war and persecution. In February, the government of then-Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra sent 40 Uyghur men to China, where they could face torture, arbitrary detention, and long-term imprisonment. After the murder of a former Cambodian opposition parliament member, Lim Kinya, in Bangkok in January, many critics of the Cambodian government living in Thailand have expressed concern for their safety. The Thai government should be commended for a new policy that went into effect on October 1 allowing Myanmar refugees in camps along the Thai-Myanmar border to work legally. The Thai government should introduce a protection framework for more recent arrivals from Myanmar, whether they are in border areas or elsewhere in Thailand.“Prime Minister Anutin has a chance to chart a new path for Thailand by ending ongoing human rights abuses,” Pearson said. “The new Thai government should quickly adopt a clear plan to address human rights issues and implement it.”.
Punjab and Haryana HC declines PIL seeking name change for 120 Bahadur
The upcoming war epic 120 Bahadur, starring Farhan Akhtar as Param Vir Chakra awardee Major Shaitan Singh Bhati, has landed in a legal debate just days before its scheduled release. The Punjab and Haryana High Court recently heard a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking the film’s name be changed to ‘120 Vir Ahir’ to better honor the Ahir soldiers who fought in the historic Battle of Rezang La. Court Questions Sensitivity Over Movie TitleDuring the hearing, Chief Justice Sheel Nagu addressed petitioners from Sanyukt Ahir Regiment Morcha and families of those who died in action, expressing surprise at the insistence on a name change. “Why are you so sensitive about what name should carry, whether a film should be named so and so? Bravery of soldiers will be seen in that 3 hour or 2-and-a-half hour movie,” the Chief Justice remarked, emphasizing that cinematic portrayal honors all 120 men. Petitioners Argue for Collective RecognitionPetitioners alleged the film singularly glorifies Major Singh, eclipsing the regimental identity and collective sacrifice of 117 Ahir soldiers who fought alongside him, citing constitutional concerns over equality and accurate remembrance. The plea argued, “No single name or face may justly monopolize the laurels that rightfully belong to the entire brotherhood of the fallen.”Producers and Defence Argue Film’s IntegrityAdvocate Abhinav Sood, representing producers Excel Entertainment, countered that both the CBFC (Central Board of Film Certification) and the Defence Ministry cleared the film. Sood stressed the PIL was premature, based solely on a three-minute trailer, and assured the court of comprehensive acknowledgment within the movie’s credits and narrative. The Union government assured the court that representations against the release are under consideration and will be decided within two days. In response, the High Court disposed of the petition, granting liberty to revisit the matter if further grievances arise after the release. 120 Bahadur dramatizes the infamous 1962 Indo-China battle at Rezang La, fought by Charlie Company-a unit comprised predominantly of Ahir soldiers under Major Singh’s command. The film’s release is set for November 21 and promises to showcase acts of heroism, endurance, and camaraderie at altitudes of 18, 000 feet and subzero temperatures. Also Read: Vivan Bhathena goes through physical and emotional transformation to play Surja Ram in 120 Bahadur: “I tried to embody his spirit”.
Intel files lawsuit against ex-employee who allegedly copied 18,000 company files & disappeared
Jinfeng Luo, who was laid off from Intel, reportedly downloaded thousands of files worth of ‘top secret’ company info.
Intel files lawsuit against ex-employee who allegedly copied 18,000 company files & disappeared
Jinfeng Luo, who was laid off from Intel, reportedly downloaded thousands of files worth of ‘top secret’ company info.
MLB’s Emmanuel Clase, Luis Ortiz charged with taking bribes to rig pitches for bettors
Two MLB pitchers were indicted on charges they took bribes to give sports bettors advance notice of the types of pitches they’d throw and intentionally tossed balls instead of strikes.
Letitia James calls mortgage fraud case against her vindictive and asks judge to dismiss it
WASHINGTON — New York Attorney General Letitia James asked a federal judge Friday to dismiss a mortgage fraud case against her, calling it a vindictive and politically motivated prosecution brought
Siddharth Sharma issues legal notice to producers of Sunny Deol’s Soorya for breach of contract
Bollywood actor Siddharth Sharma has officially taken legal action against the producers of the upcoming film Soorya, citing intentional breaches of contractual obligations. Sharma posted a formal statement on social media, announcing that a legal notice has been issued to the producers for failing to honour the terms of an agreement signed before the film’s production. The film, which stars Sunny Deol, has become the subject of controversy after Sharma revealed the details of his dispute with the producers. In his statement, he claimed that the producers, including Kamal Mukut, Soham Rockstar Entertainment, and Deepak Mukut, have continuously failed to comply with the contractual obligations outlined in the artist agreement.“I have issued a formal legal notice against the producers for intentional and constant breach of contractual obligations under the Artist Agreement for the Hindi film ‘Soorya,’” Siddharth Sharma wrote on Instagram, tagging several involved parties, including Zee Music Company and Zee Studios. The notice mentions specific legal provisions under Sections 37, 39, 73, and 74 of the Indian Contract Act, 1872, indicating potential formal legal proceedings against the producers for their actions. Sharma’s statement further emphasized that the legal steps were necessary after repeated failures by the production house to address the issues raised. Sharma’s post also mentioned his intention to move forward with formal legal proceedings if the producers do not take corrective action. The announcement has stirred speculation within the industry, particularly given the high-profile nature of the film Soorya, which has been generating buzz due to its association with Sunny Deol and its anticipated release under the Zee Music Company and Zee Studios. At the time of writing, neither the producers nor the other parties involved have issued a formal response to the legal notice or Sharma’s claims. Also Read: SCOOP: Sunny Deol’s Soorya gets its leading lady Pragya Jaiswal confirmed after Jaipur shoot video.
National Guard deployments in Washington, DC, and Portland, Oregon, are focus of court hearings
National Guard deployments in Washington, DC, and Portland, Oregon, are focus of court hearings
The New York Times
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