Netflix Succumbs To Judicial Pressure; Releases ‘Bad Boy Billionaires’ Without Satyam Story

After a month-long legal hassle, Netflix has released its controversial documentary series, ‘Bad boy Billionaires’ which shows businessmen such as Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, and Sahara India chief Subrata Roy who have committed alleged fraud.

However, the episode on ‘Satyam Scandal’ has been held by the world’s leading streaming entertainment service. 

Read on to know more…

A Snippet Of What Has Happened So Far!

Last month, the Hyderabad civil court had restrained the release of ‘Bad Boy Billionaires’ which was going to be released on September 2. 

This petition was filed by none other than Satyam Computer Services chairman B Ramalinga Raju, who falsified the company accounts and committed a corporate fraud of Rs 7,000 crore. He was arrested on January 7, 2009.

Mehul Choksi, whose name appears in the series and who has taken the citizenship of Antigua and Barbuda in the Caribbean islands said it would affect his trial if the series is released with references to him and the legal cases pending against him. The Delhi HC had dropped this plea and had asked the Govt to regulate the digital content. Netflix challenged the HC’s verdict saying the Centre doesn’t regulate the OTT platforms’ content. After which the Govt has refused to step into the matter.

Roy also approached the court seeking a stay on the docu-series. A Bihar court in Araria district had asked Netflix not to use Roy’s name. Netflix had challenged this opposition when Roy had argued that the series was an attempt to defame him. However, now the lower court has lifted the stay on airing the series.

Now What?

Netflix has released 3 episodes of the docu-series on Mallya, Modi and Roy.

However, the episode on ‘Satyam Scandal’ episode featuring Raju has been held by the digital platform as Raju’s matter is still pending in Hyderabad court.