Delhi court restrains illegal Olympics broadcasts
July 20, 2021
By Colin Mann
The Delhi High Court has restrained the unauthorised broadcast of the Tokyo Olympics by rogue websites, multi-system operators and local cable operators in India.
The court has directed ISPs to block access to these websites illegally broadcasting the games on their platforms and also asked the Central government to issue necessary directions/notifications calling upon various ISPs to block access to the rogue websites.
The ex-parte interim order, which will remain in force till the next date of hearing on September 29th, was passed by Justice C Hari Shankar following a request from Sony Pictures Networks India, which is the exclusive broadcaster of Tokyo Olympics.
Advocate Abhishek Malhotra, representing Sony Pictures, told the court that his client was the right holder broadcaster as it had acquired an exclusive licence for exploitation and media rights over the Tokyo Olympics over any media platform, he submitted.
He suggested that there were over 40 websites and over 30 multi-system operators and local cable operators illegally broadcast pirated content in violation of the copyright act and argued that the new IT Rules of 2021 required an ISP to protect a party’s proprietary rights.
According to Sony, these websites and cable TV operators were habitual defaulters as they have in the past infringed its exclusive rights for the broadcast of certain cricket matches.