$~12 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Date of Decision: 20^th January, 2026 + CS(COMM) 840/2024 & I.As. 40659/2024, 40661/2024 STAR INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED .....Plaintiff Through: Ms. Srishti Dhoundiyal, Advocate.

versus CRICHD.PK & ORS. .....Defendants Through: None.

CORAM:

HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE JYOTI SINGH

JUDGEMENT

JYOTI SINGH, J. (ORAL)

1. This suit is instituted by the Plaintiff inter alia seeking permanent injunction restraining Defendants No. 1 to 5 and such other websites, which are notified during the proceedings and all others acting on their behalf from communicating, streaming and/or making available for viewing and downloading without authorization on their websites or other platforms contents, on which Plaintiff has exclusive rights in relation to ‘ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024’, which is a T20 International Cricket Tournament.

2. Subject matter of the present suit is ‘ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024’ (‘Event’). The matches under the Event were scheduled to be held from 03.10.2024 to 20.10.2024 in United Arab Emirates and included total of 23 T20 matches.

3. As per the case set up in the plaint, Plaintiff is an entertainment and media company in India engaged, inter alia in production of popular content broadcasted on its channels. Along with its affiliates, Plaintiff is the owner of an extensive portfolio of more than 100 channels in over 10 languages, including channels like Star Movies, Colors Infinity, Sports18, Star Gold, Star Sports 1, MTV, Disney Channel, National Geographic etc. By virtue of order dated 27.09.2024, passed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, granting uplink and downlink permissions, Plaintiff has the sole and exclusive right to broadcast and distribute Star Channels in India, which broadcast sporting events in sports such as Cricket, Football, Formula 1, Badminton, Hockey, to name a few.

4. It is stated that Plaintiff owns and operates online audio-visual streaming platform and websites ‘www.hotstar.com’, ‘www.Jiocinema.com’ and mobile applications ‘JioHotstar’ and ‘JioCinema’. Plaintiff’s OTTs enable viewers to watch television serials and programs, films, sports content, including live sports content etc. The highly evolved video streaming technology, impeccable quality of video streaming and vast library of content, places the Plaintiff amongst the most popular video streaming services in India.

5. It is stated that Plaintiff entered into Media Rights Agreement dated 27.08.2022 with ICC for exclusive digital medial rights and television rights for India in relation to various domestic and international men’s and women’s cricket competitions inter alia for a period of 4 years i.e., from 2024 to 2027 and consequently, Plaintiff enjoys broadcast reproduction rights conferred by Section 37 of The Copyright Act, 1957 (‘1957 Act’).

6. The present suit was instituted by the Plaintiff for restraining Defendants No. 1 to 5, which are rogue websites and all others acting on their behalf from communicating, hosting, streaming, screening, disseminating or making available for viewing or downloading, without authorization, any part of the ‘Event’ on any electronic or digital platform in any manner whatsoever. Plaintiff impleaded the Domain Name Registrars as Defendants No. 6 to 10 to lock and suspend the given domain names of Defendants No. 1 to 5. Defendants No. 11 to 19 are ISPs/TSPs, which were impleaded to block the websites of Defendants No. 1 to 5. Defendant No. 20 is DoT and Defendant No. 21 is MeitY impleaded for the purpose of issuing blocking orders.

7. On 30.09.2024, after hearing the Plaintiff’s counsel, Court granted ex parte ad interim injunction in favour of the Plaintiff and restrained Defendants No. 1 to 5 and/or any other person acting on their behalf from communicating, hosting, streaming etc., any part of the ‘Event’ without authorization, on any platform and in any manner whatsoever. Directions were passed to the DNRs to lock and suspend the given do