Delhi High Court Restrains Rogue Websites From Unauthorisedly Streaming ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024

The Delhi High Court recently restrained various rogue websites from unauthorisedly and illegally streaming the ongoing ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024.

Justice Sanjeev Narula observed that the plaintiff, Star India Private Limited, made out a prima facie case for the grant of an interim injunction.

The court said that the need for immediate relief was particularly pressing in the case, considering the T20 format and short duration of the matches.

It added that any delay in blocking access to the rogue websites could lead to significant financial losses for the Plaintiff and an irreparable breach of their broadcast reproduction rights.

“Therefore, swift action to prevent such infringements is crucial to preserving the Plaintiff's investment in the broadcasting rights and maintaining their copyright protections,” the court said.

It directed the Domain Name Registrars to disclose the complete details of the rogue websites and further directed the Internet Service Providers and Telecom Service Providers to block access to the websites.

“During the currency of the ICC Events, if any further websites are discovered which are illegally streaming and communicating content over which the Plaintiff has rights, the Plaintiff is given liberty to communicate the details of such websites to the DoT and MeitY for issuance of blocking orders, and simultaneously to the ISPs for blocking the said websites, so as to ensure that these websites can be blocked on a real time basis there is no considerable delay,” the court said.

Justice Narula recognized the widespread appeal and significance of the ICC Events, particularly in the Indian subcontinent, and said that the events are broadcasted through Star channels and OTT platform Disney+ Hotstar which is accessible across a variety of digital devices including computers, smartphones, tablets, and other electronic gadgets.

The court said that the issue of rogue websites engaging in the piracy of copyrighted content presents a recurring threat, especially with the imminent ICC Events.

“The dynamic and ever-evolving nature of the digital landscape necessitates that court orders are not static, but evolve in tandem with the technological advancements and challenges posed by the virtual domain. The legal remedies must remain robust and effective in curtailing copyright infringement, particularly in the fast-paced environment of the internet,” the court said.

It added that Courts must be proactive in updating, adapting, and modifying their directions to address such challenges effectively and in the absence of such adaptive legal measures, the rights of intellectual property holders stand at risk of being undermined, rendering their intellectual property rights ineffectual.

“It is thus essential for the legal framework to remain vigilant and responsive to the challenges presented by digital piracy, ensuring that the protections afforded to copyright and intellectual property are not only theoretical but also enforceable and practical in safeguarding the rights and interests of the rightful owners,” the court said.

Title: STAR INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED v. MAGICWIN.GAMES & ORS.

Citation: 2024 LiveLaw (Del) 719

Click here to read order