Court issues ad interim ex parte dynamic injunction restraining unauthorized hosting and streaming; domain registrars and ISPs ordered to block infringing sites within 72 hours
In a significant judgment delivered on October 1, 2026, the Delhi High Court has granted urgent interim relief to Digital18 Media Private Limited, the plaintiff, by restraining several rogue websites from streaming or making available their upcoming film `Drishyam: The Conclusion' without authorization. The suit, filed against defendant websites including ssrmovies.style, Cinevood.date, Skymovieshd.lgbt, and others, highlights the growing menace of online piracy and the judiciary's proactive stance in curbing such infringements even before the official release of copyrighted content.
The plaintiff alleged that the defendants are habitual offenders engaged in piracy of copyrighted films, including Digital18's earlier releases like `Jolly LLB 3'. These websites operate through a business model premised on unauthorized streaming and downloading of copyrighted films, causing substantial financial loss and reputational harm to the rights holders.
Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, presiding over the matter, observed that the plaintiff had made a prima facie case for the grant of an ad interim ex parte injunction. The Court noted the urgency, given that the film was scheduled for release on October 2, 2026, and piracy would cause irreparable damage not compensable in monetary terms. The balance of convenience favored the plaintiff, warranting immediate judicial intervention.
In its directions, the Court restrained defendant numbers 1 to 9 and any persons acting on their behalf from hosting, streaming, or communicating the film on their platforms in any manner. Additionally, domain name registrars and internet service providers (defendant nos. 12 to 29) were ordered to suspend, block, disable, or deactivate the domain names of the infringing websites within 72 hours of receiving notice and evidence from the plaintiff. The Court further mandated government officials to ensure strict compliance with the order.
Recognizing the urgency and nature of intellectual property protection, the Court exempted the plaintiff from the requirements of pre-institution mediation under Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015, and from issuing prior notice under Section 80 of the Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) to certain defendants. This facilitated swift judicial relief without procedural delays.
The judgment also empowered the plaintiff to inform domain registrars, ISPs, and government departments about any other instances of piracy by websites or persons not currently party to the suit, ensuring dynamic enforcement of the injunction.
This ruling reinforces the judiciary's commitment to protecting intellectual property rights in the digital age, sending a strong message to piracy websites operating within India's jurisdiction. It underscores the importance of dynamic injunctions and cooperation between courts, registrars, ISPs, and government authorities in the fight against online copyright infringement.
Bottom Line:
Intellectual Property/Copyright - Pre-release protection granted to plaintiff's upcoming film against rogue websites - Ad interim ex parte dynamic injunction issued restraining hosting, streaming or making available infringing copies of film and directing domain name registrars/ISPs/Government authorities to block and suspend access to infringing websites - Exemption from pre-institution mediation and Section 80 CPC notice granted in view of urgency.
Statutory provision(s):
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908 Section 80, Order XXXIX Rule 1 & 2 and Rule 3; Commercial Courts Act, 2015 Section 12A; Copyright Act, 1957 (implied).
Digital18 Media Private Limited v. ssrmovies.style, (Delhi) : Law Finder Doc Id # 2992098
