High Court
Contempt proceedings against channels on crime serials adjourned
BANGALORE: A division bench of the Karnataka HC comprising of justices A M Farooq and B S Patil adjourned contempt proceedings against Sun Network’s Kannada channel Udaya TV and ETV for telecasting crime based serials to March 14.
On January 12, bailable warrants were issued against the channels based on a petition filed by Bangalore advocate A. V. Amarnathan.
The programmes referred in the petition were Udaya’s Crime Story, produced and directed by Balakrishna Kakatkar and ETV’s Crime Diary produced and directed by Ravi Belegere.
As reported by indiantelevision.com over the last two months, the state government had sought direction from the HC to ban the two serials since they were effecting fair trials of criminal cases, infringe upon the rights of citizens and adversely effect public interest, based on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Amaranthan. The government had also sought a blanket direction to the media not to carry stories in violation of the criminal justice system
The Karnataka High Court (HC) had permitted the advocate general to file contempt proceedings against two Kannada crime serials following Government counsel arguments that the opinions expressed in the serials about the innocence or guilt of the accused in any manner were pre-judicial to the interest of the justice delivery system, as it amounted to holding a parallel trial. Continued telecast of the serials could constitute contempt of court.
The serials were accused of presenting facts even before filing of an FIR, such as recorded views of police officers, interviewing criminals, victims and/or their next of kin, hence resulting in a trial by media, prejudicing and interfering with the judicial proceedings.
High Court
Delhi HC blocks illegal IPL 2026 streams, backs JioStar rights
Court orders swift takedowns, expands crackdown on piracy apps
NEW DELHI: In a timely move ahead of the cricketing season, the Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to JioStar India Private Limited, clamping down on illegal streaming of the TATA Indian Premier League 2026.
The court passed ex parte ad interim injunctions in two separate suits, restraining rogue websites and mobile applications from broadcasting IPL matches without authorisation. The tournament is set to begin on 28 March, making the timing of the order particularly significant.
Recognising JioStar’s exclusive digital and broadcast rights for the IPL cycle from 2023 to 2027, the court observed that unauthorised streaming would infringe its statutory and proprietary rights, potentially causing irreparable losses.
In one case, the court directed several identified websites to immediately stop hosting or streaming IPL content. It also issued a dynamic injunction, allowing JioStar to flag new infringing platforms in real time, which must then be blocked swiftly by domain registrars and internet service providers.
In a parallel order, the court turned its attention to piracy through mobile apps, particularly Android-based platforms distributing content via APK files. A broader dynamic+ injunction was granted, extending to future variants, mirror links and related interfaces, signalling a tougher stance on evolving piracy tactics.
The court also directed domain name registrars to suspend offending domains and share registrant details, including KYC and payment information. Internet service providers and telecom operators have been instructed to block access within strict timelines, in some instances within 36 hours. Both the Department of Telecommunications and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology have been asked to facilitate enforcement through necessary notifications.
Noting the fast-changing nature of digital piracy, the court emphasised the need for real-time enforcement tools to keep pace with anonymous and constantly shifting networks. It also underlined the commercial impact of piracy on legitimate rights holders.
The ruling reinforces the judiciary’s firm stance on protecting intellectual property in the digital age. For viewers, it is a reminder to stick to official platforms as the IPL season kicks off under tighter watch.
