The Delhi High Court recently granted a dynamic+ injunction to Warner Bros., Netflix, Disney, and other global entertainment giants in their case against multiple rogue websites accused of copyright infringement [Warner Bros Entertainment Inc & Ors v. Doodstream.Com & Ors].
In an order issued by Justice Saurabh Banerjee on August 30, the court condemned the rapid rise of these rogue websites, stressing that their blatant illegal activities could not be allowed to continue unchecked. “The mushrooming of the defendants like the present types and that too by blatant and utter slavish activities with ulterior purpose(s), cannot be allowed to continue… The defendants, as also anyone like them, need to be stopped as earliest as possible,” the court remarked.
The lawsuit, brought forward by major content producers including Warner Bros., Columbia Pictures, Disney, and Netflix, targeted 45 websites engaged in the unauthorized streaming and distribution of copyrighted content. The plaintiffs argued that these websites were engaging in widespread piracy, disregarding multiple legal notices requesting the removal of the infringing material.
The plaintiffs sought a dynamic+ injunction, which not only blocks the infringing websites but also preemptively addresses future mirror sites or domain variations designed to evade enforcement. The court agreed, citing the “hydra-headed” nature of such websites that multiply and evade conventional measures.
The court found that these rogue websites were violating the plaintiffs’ exclusive rights under the Copyright Act of 1957. Additionally, it noted the difficulty of tracking the operators of these websites, as they often conceal their registration details to avoid accountability.
In an ex-parte interim order, the court instructed the defendants to immediately stop hosting, streaming, or distributing the plaintiffs’ content. It also ordered Internet Service Providers (ISPs) to block access to the infringing websites within 48 hours. Government agencies, including the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), were directed to ensure compliance.
The dynamic+ injunction granted by the court allows the plaintiffs to swiftly address any future mirror sites or domain variants that attempt to resurface after the original websites are blocked. This ensures ongoing protection against copyright violations.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on January 13, 2025.
The plaintiffs were represented by advocates Saikrishna Rajagopal, Suhasini Raina, Anjali Agrawal, Mehr Sidhu, and Priyanka Jaiswal.
