High Court
Delhi HC notice to Arnab Goswami on ‘theft’ suit by Times group
NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court, which had earlier issued summons, has now issued a notice to Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami in a case filed against him by former employer Bennett, Coleman and Company Ltd (BCCL), owners of Times Now news channel. The complainant had alleged breach of employment contract and misusing intellectual property belonging to BCCL.
Goswami and his colleague Prema Sridevi, who was also in Times Now, are accused of having played audio tapes during a story on the mysterious death of Congress Party member and MP Shashi Tharoor’s wife Sunanda Pushkar. Times Now claims the audio tapes were its property. This development has been reported by legal news portal Live Law.
BCCL has alleged the Sunanda Pushkar tapes and those played out during a story done by Republic TV on its debut day on Lalu Prasad were ‘procured and accessed’ by Goswami and Sridevi while they were employed by Times Now.
While the court observed that an employee has to maintain confidentiality and utmost fidelity towards his employer and they cannot breach contract, it said that since the Times Group hasn’t submitted anything on record to prove that the audio recordings used by Goswami were parts of its database, it has only issued a short notice.
Earlier, the court had issued summons to Goswami, Sridevi and the ARG Outlier Media Private Limited, the company that owns Republic TV, in the matter.
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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.
