Delhi High Court – Orders
Jiostar India Private Limited vs Abbasi Tv & Ors on 25 March, 2026
Author: Jyoti Singh
Bench: Jyoti Singh
$~79
* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
+ CS(COMM) 319/2026
JIOSTAR INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED .....Plaintiff
Through: Mr. Siddharth Chopra, Mr. Yatinder
Garg, Mr. Priyansh Kohli, Ms. Ishi Singh, Mr.
Manish and Ms. Sudhata, Advocates.
versus
ABBASI TV & ORS. .....Defendants
Through:
CORAM:
HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE JYOTI SINGH
ORDER
% 25.03.2026
I.A. 8053/2026 (u/S 149 CPC)
1. This application is filed on behalf of the Plaintiff seeking exemption
from filing the court fees at this stage.
2. For the reasons stated in the application, the same is allowed
permitting the Plaintiff to deposit the court fees within a week from today.
3. Application is disposed of.
I.A. 8050/2026 (for pre-institution mediation)
4. This application is filed on behalf of the Plaintiff under Section 12-A
of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015 read with Section 151 CPC seeking
exemption from Pre-Institution Mediation.
5. Having regard to the facts of the present case wherein urgent relief is
prayed for and in light of the judgment of Supreme Court in Yamini
Manohar v. T.K.D. Keerthi, (2024) 5 SCC 815, as also Division Bench of
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 1 of 13
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this Court in Chandra Kishore Chaurasia v. RA Perfumery Works Private
Ltd., 2022 SCC OnLine Del 3529, exemption is granted to the Plaintiff from
Pre-Institution Mediation.
6. Application is allowed and disposed of.
I.A. 8052/2026 (u/O XI Rule 1 (4) r/w Section 151 CPC)
7. This application is filed on behalf of the Plaintiff seeking leave to
place on record additional documents.
8. Plaintiff, if it wishes to file additional documents at a later stage, shall
do so strictly in accordance with provisions of the Commercial Courts Act,
2015.
9. Application is allowed and disposed of.
10. Application is disposed of.
I.A. 8051/2026
11. This application is filed on behalf of the Plaintiff under Section 80
read with Section 151 CPC seeking exemption from issuing notices to
Defendants No. 20, 23, 29 and 30.
12. For the reasons stated in the application, the same is allowed
exempting the Plaintiff from effecting two months’ notice on the aforesaid
Defendants.
13. Application stands disposed of.
CS(COMM) 319/2026
14. Let plaint be registered as a suit.
15. Upon filing of process fee, issue summons to the Defendants through
all permissible modes, returnable before the learned Joint Registrar on
17.04.2026.
16. Summons shall state that the written statements shall be filed by the
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 2 of 13
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Defendants within 30 days from the receipt of summons along with
affidavits of admission/denial of the documents filed by the Plaintiff.
17. It will be open to the Plaintiff to file replications within 30 days from
the date of receipt of written statements along with affidavits of admission/
denial of documents filed by the Defendants.
18. If any of the parties wish to seek inspection of any documents, the
same be sought and given the timeline prescribed in Delhi High Court
(Original Side) Rules, 2018.
19. Learned Joint Registrar will carry out admission/denial of documents
and marking of exhibits.
I.A. 8049/2026 (u/O XXXIX Rules 1 and 2 r/w Section 151 CPC)
20. This application is filed on behalf of the Plaintiff seeking ex parte ad
interim injunction against the Defendants.
21. Issue notice to the Defendants through all permissible modes,
returnable before Court on 19.05.2026.
22. Case of the Plaintiff as set out in the plaint is that Plaintiff is a leading
entertainment and media company in India engaged inter alia in production
of popular content broadcasted on its channels and owns exclusive rights in
several works broadcasted on its channels. Plaintiff along with its affiliates
is the owner of an extensive portfolio of more than 100 channels in over ten
languages (‘JioStar Channels’) and also owns and operates OTT platform,
JioHotstar.
23. It is stated that Defendants 1 to 5 are the rogue infringing mobile
applications and Defendants No. 6 to 18 are Domain Name Registrars
(‘DNRs’). Defendants No. 19 to 28 are Internet Service Providers (‘ISPs’)
and Telecom Service Providers (‘TSPs’) and Defendants No. 29 and 30 are
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 3 of 13
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DoT and MeitY respectively, arrayed by the Plaintiff to assist in
enforcement and/or compliance of orders passed by the Court.
24. It is stated that the upcoming TATA Indian Premier League 2026
(‘TATA IPL 2026’), which is the subject matter of this suit is a Twenty-20
cricket franchise league in India, which is owned and operated by BCCI.
Viacom18 Media Private Limited in the course of its business, inter alia
acquired exclusive Digital Rights (Internet rights and Mobile rights) from
BCCI for Indian Premier League for Indian sub-continent and Overseas
Territories vide agreement dated 27.06.2022 for a period of five years i.e.
from 2023 to 2027. These rights include the exclusive Digital Rights in the
upcoming TATA IPL 2026 and the right to use TATA IPL 2026’s logo and
any other mark associated with the said event. These Exclusive Rights have
been duly transferred from Viacom18 Media Private Limited to the Plaintiff
and the transfer has been acknowledged and consented to by BCCI vide
letter dated 25.09.2024. By this arrangement, the upcoming TATA IPL
2026, will be made available on Plaintiff’s OTT Platform-JioHotstar and on
its channels. The upcoming TATA IPL 2026 is scheduled to be held
between 28.03.2026 and 31.05.2026 and will comprise of 84 T20 matches.
25. It is stated that by virtue of Exclusive Rights granted to the Plaintiff, it
will continue to broadcast, stream and communicate the live transmission,
delayed transmission, highlights, clips and repeat transmission of the
upcoming TATA IPL 2026 organised by the BCCI on its OTT platform,
JioHotstar. Plaintiff has paid a significant consideration for acquisition of
these rights and has consequently, acquired the license to exploit and/or
authorize exploitation of the exclusive rights within India. Thus, an entity,
which is not authorized by the event organisers or the Plaintiff to broadcast,
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 4 of 13
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retransmit, host, stream, make available for viewing and download, provide
access to or communicate to the public, the feed of the upcoming TATA IPL
2026 cricket league, on internet and mobile platforms, cannot lawfully do so
and if it chooses to do so, it will be interfering with and infringing the Media
Rights of the Plaintiff vested in it by virtue of Plaintiff’s arrangement with
the event organiser and/or the statutory Broadcast Reproduction Rights
conferred by Section 37 of The Copyright Act, 1957 (‘1957 Act’).
26. It is stated that Defendants No. 1 to 5 are various rogue Android-
based online and mobile applications, which operate through their websites
and primarily communicate to the public, host, stream and/or make available
to the public, copyright-protected content, without any authorization from
the copyright holder and have been doing so in the past in respect of
Plaintiff’s copyrighted content. These rogue apps are illegal mobile
applications and have no authority or permission to reproduce, store,
transmit, communicate, make available for viewing or provide access to
Plaintiff’s content. The download, distribution and use of these android
based rogue apps, occurs through an Android Package Kit (‘APK’). The
sole intent and purpose of the rogue apps is to exploit copyright-
protected work of the Plaintiff and to provide an alternate source to the user
such that the user does not have to pay any money for enjoying Plaintiff’s
works.
27. It is stated that during Plaintiff’s investigation, it was discovered that
the access, download, distribution and use of the Rouge Defendant Apps
occur through an .APK file format. APK files are similar to .EXE files for
Windows and .APK is hence the file format that is used by any creator/
developer of a mobile application to provide access to, distribute and install
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 5 of 13
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such apps on any Android device. An APK file contains a compilation of all
elements/programs/features of a mobile application which are relevant to
correctly install and use an application on an Android device. Once an APK
file for a mobile application is downloaded onto an Android device, said
mobile application can be installed by running the APK file. In order to
download and run/use an Android-based mobile App on a computer (which
does not run on an Android software but runs on Windows/Linux/Mac
operating system), one only needs to download a third-party
software/application, like “Mumu Play” or “Memu Play” and open the APK
file through such third-party software. Similarly, the APK files for the
Rogue Defendant Apps are available for download, inter alia, on their
respective websites.
28. It is further stated that rogue nature of Defendants No. 1 to 5’s Apps
is apparent from the home page which displays an array of content of
various right owners, including the Plaintiff, which is unauthorizedly made
available to the public for free. Therefore, it is clear that the primary purpose
is to commit and facilitate copyright infringement. Said Defendants have
been brazenly making available to the public, Plaintiff’s content in the
previous IPL matches and additionally, Defendants No. 1 and 3 have created
dedicated categories and are using the logos of various channels, including
Plaintiff’s OTT platform JioHotstar, thereby evidently demonstrating that
their operations are aimed at exclusively making Plaintiff’s content available
without authorization.
29. Learned counsel for the Plaintiff submits that TATA IPL 2026 is
scheduled to be held between 28.03.2026 and 31.05.2026 and there is
genuine apprehension that Defendants No.1 to 5 will unauthorizedly host
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 6 of 13
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and make available Plaintiff’s content on their websites/Apps without any
license, authority or permission from the Plaintiff. Defendants No. 1 to 5 are
habitual offenders whose primary purpose is to communicate sporting events
without license or rights and it is imperative that an ex parte ad interim
injunction is granted, protecting the exclusive rights of the Plaintiff as the
unauthorized telecasting and broadcasting of the TATA IPL 2026 will have
a serious impact on the revenues of the Plaintiff apart from infringement of
its copyright and other Exclusive Rights. These rogue apps are completely
illegal mobile applications and have no permission or authorisation to
reproduce, store, transmit, communicate, make available for viewing or
providing access to any of Plaintiff’s content. It is emphasized that in the
past, this Court has injuncted such rouge websites/Apps by ex parte ad
interim orders such as in CS(COMM) 837/2024 in Star India Pvt. Ltd. v.
Movieblast application & Ors. and JioStar India Private Limited v. Cricfy
TV & Ors., in CS(COMM) 1203/2025. In JioStar (supra), Court granted
ad-interim injunction restraining the rogue apps from hosting, streaming,
reproducing, distributing, making available to the public and/or
communicating to the public or facilitating the same on their
Apps/UI(s)/website(s), through internet and/or in any manner whatsoever,
the then upcoming South Africa Tour of India 2025 and New Zealand Tour
of India 2026. However, to circumvent Court’s orders, Defendants created
new websites with alphanumeric variations to continue their illegal
activities.
30. Having heard learned counsel for the Plaintiff and on perusal of the
pleadings and documents filed with the plaint, I am of the view that Plaintiff
has made out a prima facie case for grant of an ex parte ad interim
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 7 of 13
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injunction. Balance of convenience lies in favour of the Plaintiff and against
Defendants No. 1 to 5 and if the interim relief sought for is not granted,
irreparable harm and injury shall be caused to the Plaintiff.
31. Plaintiff has secured exclusive rights in TATA IPL 2026 organised by
BCCI and consequently, enjoys Broadcast Reproduction Rights conferred in
terms of Section 37 of 1957 Act. The TATA IPL 2026 shall be broadcasted,
streamed and communicated to the public by the Plaintiff on its OTT
platform, JioHotstar. Plaintiff harbours a genuine apprehension that
Defendants No. 1 to 5 will broadcast the event without authorization and
therefore, its rights need to be protected and the broadcast content including
footage, commentary etc. also need to be safeguarded. In fact, in Universal
City Studios LLC. and Others v. Dotmovies Baby and Others, 2023 SCC
OnLine Del 4955, Court was of the view that to keep pace with the dynamic
nature of the infringement that is undertaken by hydra-headed websites,
‘Dynamic+ injunction’ ought be granted to protect copyrighted works as
soon as they are created, so that no irreparable loss is caused to the authors
and owners of copyrighted works, as there is an imminent possibility of
works being uploaded on rogue websites or their newer versions
immediately upon the films/shows/series etc. Relevant passage from the
order is as follows:-
“17. Any injunction granted by a Court of law ought to be effective in
nature. The injunction ought to also not merely extend to content which is
past content created prior to the filing of the suit but also to content which
may be generated on a day-to-day basis by the Plaintiffs. In a usual case for
copyright infringement, the Court firstly identifies the work, determines the
Copyright of the Plaintiff in the said work, and thereafter grants an
injunction. However, owing to the nature of the illegalities that rogue
websites induldge in, there is a need to pass injunctions which are also
dynamic qua the Plaintiffs as well, as it is seen that upon any film or
series being released, they may be immediately uploaded on the rogueCS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 8 of 13
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websites, causing severe and instant monetary loss. Copyright in
future works comes into existence immediately upon the work being
created, and Plaintiffs may not be able to approach the Court for each and
every film or series that is produced in the future, to secure an injunction
against piracy.
xxx xxx xxx
19. As innovation in technology continues, remedies to be granted also
ought to be calibrated by Courts. This is not to say that in every case, an
injunction qua future works can be granted. Such grant of an injunction
would depend on the fact situation that arises and is placed before the
Court.
20. In the facts and circumstances as set out above, an ex parte ad interim
injunction is granted restraining the Defendants, who are all rogue
websites, from in any manner streaming, reproducing, distributing, making
available to the public and/or communicating to the public any copyrighted
content of the Plaintiffs including future works of the Plaintiffs, in which
ownership of copyright is undisputed, through their websites identified in
the suit or any mirror/redirect websites or alphanumeric variations thereof
including those websites which are associated with the Defendants’ websites
either based on the name, branding, identity or even source of content. To
keep pace with the dynamic nature of the infringement that is undertaken by
hydra-headed websites, this Court has deemed it appropriate to issue this
‘Dynamic+ injunction’ to protect copyrighted works as soon as they are
created, to ensure that no irreparable loss is caused to the authors and
owners of copyrighted works, as there is an imminent possibility of works
being uploaded on rogue websites or their newer versions immediately
upon the films/shows/series etc. The Plaintiffs are permitted to implead any
mirror/redirect/alphanumberic variations of the websites identified in the
suit as Defendants Nos. 1 to 16 including those websites which are
associated with the Defendants Nos. 1 to 16, either based on the name,
branding, identity or even source of content, by filing an application for
impleadment under Order I Rule 10 CPC in the event such websites merely
provide new means of accessing the same primary infringing websites that
have been injuncted. The Plaintiffs are at liberty to also file an appropriate
application seeking protection qua their copyrighted works, including
future works, if the need so arises. Upon filing such applications before the
Registrar along with an affidavit with sufficient supporting evidence
seeking extension of the injunction to such websites, to protect the content
of the Plaintiffs, including future works, the injunction shall become
operational against the said websites and qua such works. If there is any
work in respect of which there is any dispute as to ownership of copyright,
an application may be moved by the affected party before the Court, to seek
clarification.”
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 9 of 13
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32. The issue of rogue mobile apps engaged in piracy of copyrighted
content is posing a recurring threat and there is no gainsaying that piracy
must be curbed and needs to be dealt with a heavy hand. This position is
acknowledged and reaffirmed in several decisions of this Court, one of
which is referred to above. There is a need for immediate relief in the
present case considering that TATA IPL 2026 is scheduled to commence on
28.03.2026. Delay in blocking access to the associated UI(s)/URL(s)/
Website(s) used by Defendants No. 1 to 5’s Apps and/or any other
UI(s)/URL(s)/Website(s) indulging in illegal and unlawful activities, would
lead to an irreparable breach of Plaintiff’s exclusive rights, as
aforementioned, apart from revenue loss.
33. Accordingly, till the next date of hearing Defendants No.1 to 5 and/or
any person acting on their behalf or anyone claiming through, by or under
them and any other UI(s)/URL(s)/Website(s), which appear to be associated
with any of Defendants No.1 to 5’s apps based on its name, branding or
identity of its operator or discovered to provide additional means of
accessing Defendants’ Applications and other domains/domain/apps/UI(s)
along with their sub-domains and sub-directories, owners/website operators/
entities which are discovered to be engaging in infringing Plaintiff’s
exclusive broadcast rights, are restrained from in any manner
communicating, hosting, streaming, screening, reproducing, making
available to the public and/or communicating to the public or facilitating or
distributing on their Apps/UI(s)/Website(s), through the internet in any
manner whatsoever, any part of the TATA IPL 2026.
34. Defendants No. 6 to 18/DNRs are directed to block and suspend the
following Domain Names associated with Defendants No. 1 to 5 within 36
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 10 of 13
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hours from the date of receipt of copy of this order:-
S.No. Rogue Website on which Defendant Domains/URLs Defendant
Defendant .APK file is made No/ Domain hosting the No/ Domain
Apps available / Associated name infringing name
Website of the Registrar content Registrar
Defendant Rogue
Apps
1. Abbasi TV https://abbasi-tv- Namecheap, https://czvabinve Namecheap,
4.apkrabi.com/ Inc. nfffff1.shop Inc.
(Defendant (Defendant
No.6 No.6
2. CricFY TV https://cricfytv.net/ Tucows https://cfyjgfbnjj NameSilo,
Domains gv103.top/ LLC
Inc. (Defendant
(Defendant No.8)
No.7)
3. RTS TV https://rtstv.io Dynadot https://w9betga Spaceship
Inc. me.pro Inc.
(Defendant (Defendant
No.9) No.10)
4. CricPK https://cricpktv.store Namecheap, https://obesalena Namecheap,
Inc. ker.store Inc.
(Defendant (Defendant
No.6) No.6)
5. HD Streamz https://hdstreamz.ru Regtime- https://media69b Regtime-
RU 704127d859- RU
(Defendant fast-track-prd- (Defendant
No.11) emea.nomox.ru/ No.11)
35. Further, Defendants No. 6 to 18 shall file Affidavits in sealed
covers/password protected documents disclosing the complete details of the
abovementioned UI(s)/Website(s), as available with them, including e-mail
addresses, mobile numbers, contact details, payment details and KYC
details, within four weeks from the date of receipt of the notice and copy of
this order.
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 11 of 13
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36. Defendants No.19 to 28, i.e., ISPs/TSPs, are directed to
block UI(s)/Website(s) as specified in Paragraph No.34 of this
order, within 36 hours from the date of receipt of copy of this order.
37. Defendants No. 29 and 30 are directed to issue necessary notifications
to all ISPs registered under them for blocking/removing access to the
website(s) as specified in Paragraph No. 34 of this order.
38. Prior to or during the currency of TATA IPL 2026, if any further
application(s)/UI(s)/URL(s)/website(s) are discovered, which are
unauthorizedly streaming and communicating content over which the
Plaintiff has Exclusive Rights, Plaintiff will be at liberty to communicate the
details of such application(s)/UI(s)/website(s) to Defendants No. 6 to 30 for
blocking the said UI(s)/URL(s)/website(s) on a real time basis, without
undue delay. Upon receiving the said intimation from the Plaintiff,
Defendants No. 6 to 28 shall take steps to immediately block/suspend the
said UI(s)/website(s) in question and Defendants No. 29 and 30 shall also
issue necessary notifications.
39. It is further directed that Plaintiff shall continue to file Affidavits
providing the details of the newly discovered application(s)/
UI(s)/website(s), their Domain Names and the URL(s), which are
communicated and blocked to ensure that the Court is kept informed of the
application(s)/UI(s)/website(s) in respect of which blocking orders are
sought. Plaintiff shall also file appropriate applications for impleadment of
the said application(s)/UI(s)/website(s) and this order shall be extended
against the said newly added Defendants.
40. If any application/UI/website, which is not primarily infringing the
Exclusive Rights, is blocked in pursuance of this order, such entity is
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 12 of 13
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permitted to approach the Court by giving an undertaking that it does not
intend to do any illegal dissemination of the content over which the Plaintiff
has Exclusive Rights and the Court would consider modifying the
injunction, if the facts and circumstances so warrant.
41. Plaintiff shall comply with the provisions of Order XXXIX Rule 3
CPC within one week from today.
JYOTI SINGH, J
MARCH 25, 2026/RW
CS(COMM) 319/2026 Page 13 of 13
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