Jammu Court Restrains Take One JK Media from Illegally Broadcasting Star India’s Content, Including ICC Champions Trophy 2025
Live law
The Commercial Court Jammu has passed an interim order restraining M/S Take One JK Media Pvt. Ltd. from retransmitting, rebroadcasting, or communicating Star India Private Limited’s content, including popular TV shows, Free-to-Air channels, and sports content such as the ongoing ICC Champions Trophy 2025, through any medium other than the official channels of Star India.
Passing an interim restraint order Additional District Judge (Commercial Division) Jammu Mr Kamlesh Pandit ordered,
“.. This court at this stage is also convinced that in case no interim order is passed , plaintiff/applicant shall suffer irreparable loss. Consequently Issue notice to the defendant/ non-applicant in the main suit as well as in the application. Meanwhile defendant and its partners and licensees are restrained from retransmitting, rebroadcasting / or communicating the plaintiff content (TV Shows), Plaintiff Channels (Free to Air Channels provided to DD Dish, Foreign Channels not permitted in India ) Sport content inter alia ongoing ICC Champions Trophy”
The order was passed in response to a suit filed by Star India seeking a permanent injunction to prevent infringement of its broadcast reproduction rights, along with damages and rendition of accounts of profits. The plaintiff, represented by Senior Advocate Pranav Kohli, along with Advocates Yatinder Garg, Areeb Javed Kawoosa, and Priyansh Kohli, contended that M/S Take One JK Media Pvt. Ltd. was illegally retransmitting Star India’s authorized channels and content without a valid subscription license agreement.
The plaintiff argued that despite the termination of the subscription license agreement (SLA) between Star India and the defendant, M/S Take One JK Media Pvt. Ltd. continued to broadcast Star India’s content, including the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 and channels like Star Utsav Movies. The plaintiff highlighted that the SLA was terminated via a legal notice dated February 22, 2025, with the disconnection of signals executed earlier on February 14, 2025.
Furthermore, the plaintiff submitted evidence showing that the defendant was unlawfully downlinking and broadcasting foreign channels such as ATN, PTV, and Sky Sports to telecast the ICC Champions Trophy. These actions, the plaintiff asserted, not only breached Section 37 of the Copyright Act but also posed a national security risk by allowing unauthorized foreign channels within India.
The counsel for Star India emphasized the legal framework governing broadcast reproduction rights and pointed to previous judgments, including the Supreme Court’s verdict in Union of India vs. BCCI & Ors. (2017), which clarified that live broadcasting signals shared under Section 3 of the Sports Broadcasting Signals (Mandatory Sharing with Prasar Bharati) Act, 2007, are not intended for retransmission on private cable networks.
After hearing the plaintiff’s counsel and examining the evidence presented, the court noted a prima facie case in favor of Star India. Judge Kamlesh Pandit observed that the plaintiff had demonstrated sufficient cogent evidence to establish that the defendant was illegally broadcasting Star India’s content.
The court underscored the irreparable harm that would be caused to Star India if the interim injunction was not granted. It acknowledged the balance of convenience in favor of the plaintiff and issued an interim order restraining the defendant and its associates from any form of unauthorized broadcasting of Star India’s content, particularly the ICC Champions Trophy 2025.
The court’s order prohibits M/S Take One JK Media Pvt. Ltd. and its partners and licensees from retransmitting or rebroadcasting Star India’s content, including TV shows, channels, and sports content like the ICC Champions Trophy 2025, through any unauthorized channel or medium.
The court directed Star India to serve a copy of the order to the defendant along with the plaint and annexures within three days. The matter is now listed for further proceedings on March 12, 2025.
