Introduction:
In the case JioStar India Pvt. Ltd. v. HTTPS://criclk.com & Ors., cited as 2025 LiveLaw (Del) 718, the Delhi High Court, through Justice Saurabh Banerjee, passed a sweeping dynamic+ injunction to preempt and curb unauthorized streaming of the India Tour of England 2025 (ITE 2025). The plaintiff, JioStar India Pvt. Ltd., formerly known as Star India Pvt. Ltd., approached the Court seeking urgent relief against rogue websites engaged in illegal dissemination of live cricket content over which JioStar held exclusive digital rights through its platform ‘JioHotstar’. The case arose from an agreement between JioStar and Sony, granting JioStar exclusive rights to stream the high-profile cricket series between India and England scheduled from June to August 2025.
Arguments:
Represented by advocates Sidharth Chopra, Yatinder Garg, and Priyansh Kohli, the plaintiff alleged that four identified rogue websites, along with several yet unidentified mirror, redirect, and alphanumeric variant sites, had previously engaged in unauthorized streaming of sporting events like the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 and were poised to repeat similar copyright violations during the upcoming ITE 2025. They argued that the systematic, organized, and technologically sophisticated methods used by these websites—including URL redirection, mirror domains, and identity masking—demonstrated a clear intention to infringe upon JioStar’s copyrighted works consistently and deliberately. The plaintiff’s counsel asserted that without immediate, robust, and flexible legal protection, irreparable harm would be caused to JioStar’s legitimate commercial interests and to the overall integrity of digital broadcasting rights, with widespread unauthorized access undermining the value of exclusive licenses. Counsel highlighted that the dynamic+ injunction was essential not only to restrain the named rogue websites but also to empower JioStar to swiftly target new, derivative, or related domains that might emerge during the live tour, ensuring comprehensive real-time protection of its rights. JioStar also prayed for suspension of the current infringing websites, takedown of illegally streamed content, and orders directing internet service providers (ISPs) and domain name registrars (DNRs) to cooperate in blocking access to rogue websites promptly upon intimation.
Conversely, since none of the defendants appeared before the Court despite due service, there were no submissions or counterarguments presented on their behalf. The absence of defense representation underscored the anonymous, evasive, and clandestine operations of these rogue websites, which Justice Banerjee found to be deliberate strategies aimed at exploiting copyrighted content while evading accountability.
Judgement:
In his comprehensive interim judgment, Justice Banerjee meticulously analyzed the plaintiff’s submissions and supporting materials, including screenshots, investigative reports, and domain records, to conclude that the case was a prima facie example of large-scale, ongoing copyright infringement. He observed that the rogue websites’ established pattern of infringing conduct during the IPL 2025 made it highly probable they would continue their unlawful streaming activities during the India Tour of England 2025. The Court noted that the rogue websites’ regular updates of infringing content and their advanced use of modern technologies to hide their identity and servers placed the plaintiff at a distinct disadvantage in enforcing its rights, warranting a dynamic+ injunction capable of extending to future, related infringing sites discovered during the tournament. Justice Banerjee ruled that the systematic and organized nature of the rogue websites’ activities demonstrated bad faith and intentional violation of JioStar’s rights, calling it a textbook case of copyright infringement requiring robust judicial intervention. Accordingly, the Court passed an ad interim injunction restraining the four rogue websites identified in the plaint from streaming, communicating, or making available any part of the ITE 2025 matches or any other content over which JioStar holds rights. It ordered suspension of the four websites’ domains and directed ISPs to block access to these sites. Crucially, the Court granted liberty to JioStar to notify ISPs and DNRs of any newly discovered websites—mirror, redirect, or alphanumeric variants—that arise during the tour and are found to be illegally streaming the matches, obligating ISPs to block such infringing websites upon receipt of JioStar’s communication. Justice Banerjee underscored that the dynamic+ injunction was necessary to protect JioStar’s exclusive digital streaming rights in real time, prevent irreparable harm to its business, and safeguard the interests of consumers who access licensed platforms for authentic streaming experiences. The Court’s order also recorded that the systematic nature of infringement and the defendants’ deliberate concealment of their identities left no doubt of their intent to unlawfully exploit JioStar’s copyrighted works for commercial gain. In granting the injunction, the Court signaled a firm stand against digital piracy and copyright violations in India’s booming online sports broadcasting sector, sending a clear message that judicial authorities are prepared to adopt innovative remedies like dynamic+ injunctions to adapt to the evolving technological landscape of piracy. By empowering JioStar to take immediate action against new rogue sites appearing during the live tour, the Court ensured real-time, flexible enforcement of intellectual property rights—an essential safeguard in today’s fast-paced digital world of live sports events. Through this proactive ruling, the Delhi High Court reaffirmed the critical importance of protecting exclusive broadcasting rights, preserving fair commercial competition, and upholding intellectual property laws in the digital era.