Delhi High Court Closes ANI's ₹2 Crore Copyright Infringement Suit Against PTI After Settlement

The Delhi High Court has closed a copyright infringement suit filed by news agency ANI Media Private Limited against Press Trust of India (PTI) alleging that its content was plagiarised by the latter.

Justice Jyoti Singh disposed of the suit in light of a Settlement Agreement reached between the parties and allowed ANI to withdraw the matter.

In its suit filed in 2024, ANI accused PTI of illegally reproducing a video shot by its cameraperson on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.

The video, ANI claimed, was shot by its cameraperson as an interview with a passenger on a flight from New Delhi to Darbhanga. The passengers were made to wait in the aircraft for a substantial amount of time without air-conditioning in peak heatwave conditions.

On April 25, an application was filed jointly by the two news agencies for recording of settlement between them and for grant of leave to ANI to withdraw its suit. The settlement agreement was entered between them on November 25 last year.

The Court closed the matter, observing that the terms of settlement were lawful.

“In light of Settlement Agreement between the parties, terms of which bind the parties thereto, Plaintiff is permitted to withdraw the suit. Suit stands disposed of as withdrawn along with pending application,” the Court said.

It ordered that ANI will be held entitled to refund of entire court fees in accordance with the Court Fees Act, 1870.

ANI had sought a permanent and mandatory injunction against PTI to take down the Infringing Videos and further to restrain it from publishing and circulating any original, copyright content of ANI on X.

The news agency had also sought monetary compensation of Rs. 2 crores and 10 lakhs for the damages suffered on account of the copyright infringement by PTI.

Title: ANI v. PTI & Anr

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