Shivani Thakur
Published on: May 6, 2022 at 17:42 IST
The Delhi High Court in Copyright Infringement, has Ordered for blocking of 12 websites which were illegally streaming, hosting and making available to public the original content of Universal City Studios LLC, without its authorization.
The Court also directed Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) to take immediate steps and issue requisite Notifications, calling upon various internet and telecom service providers registered under them to block the said websites.
It was thus argued on behalf of the Plaintiffs that Defendant Websites were providing illegal content for free and such availability of content was supported by the advertisements featuring on these websites. It was also submitted that the primary purpose of the Defendant Websites was to commit or facilitate Copyright Infringement. Thus, Defendants No. 1 to 12 were liable for Infringement under Section 51(a)(ii), Section 51(b) and Section 51(a)(i) of the Act, for making a copy of the original content.
According the Court ordered:
“In order for this Court to be freed from constant monitoring and adjudicating the issues of mirror/redirect/alphanumeric websites, it is directed that as and when the Plaintiffs file an application under Order 1 Rule 10 Civil Procedure Code for impleadment of such websites, Plaintiffs shall file an affidavit confirming that the newly impleaded website is a mirror/redirect/alphanumeric website which appears to be associated with any of the Defendant Website based on its name, branding or the identity of its operator, or has been discovered to provide additional means of accessing the Defendant Websites and other domains/domain along with their subdomains and subdirectories, owners/website operators/entities which are discovered to have been engaging in infringing the Plaintiffs’ exclusive rights, with sufficient supporting Evidence.”
The Court said that the Plaintiffs shall comply with the Provisions of Order 39 Rule 3 Civil Procedure Code within 10 days.