KGF Song Copyright Infringement: Karnataka HC Issues Contempt Notice To Rahul Gandhi & Other Congress Leaders

A division bench of Chief Justice Prasanna B Varale and Justice Ashok S Kinagi issued notices on the petition filed through their advocate Pranav Kumar M.

Citing various instances of infringement the plea states, "The Accused no. 1 to 3, without having any regard to the orders passed by both this Hon'ble High Court as well as the Hon'ble Trial Court, are continuing to use in relation to their business and/or infringing the copyrighted work owned by the Complainant and illegally distributed by making pirated copies of the same and thereby enabling illegal uploading, storing, hosting, reproducing/making copies, issuing copies, communicating to the public, digitally transmitting/streaming, synchronising, adapting, actively modifying and/or otherwise or in any way infringing the copyrights over the work including but not limited to the copyrighted works created, owned and held by the Complainant."

Further it is said, "This act of the Accused no. 1 to 3 amounts to the breach of the terms of the Order dated 08.11.2022. The said actions of the Accused no. 1 to 3 are nothing but wilful and deliberate disobedience of the said Orders which is nothing but a contempt of the Order of this Hon'ble High Court."

The High Court had on November 8, had allowed the appeal preferred by Indian National Congress against a civil court order which directed Twitter to block the national party's user account and that of Bharat Jodo. The relief was subject to the party removing material from their handles that offend MRT Music's copyrights.

The trial court had directed Twitter to remove and take down three tweets which were posted from Congress party's main handle @INCIndia. It further ordered the micro-blogging site "to block" the social media handles @INCIndia and @BharatJodo till next date of hearing.

The court also appointed S.N. Venkateshmurthy, District System Administrator of Computer Section, Commercial Court, Bengaluru as Local Commissioner to visit the defendants' website, "conduct electronic audit and preserve the infringing materials available in the above social media and prepare inventory of the same and store the same in this court's system and separate CD."

MRT Music has sought a decree of permanent injunction against the Congress and its party leaders for alleged unauthorised use of its copyrighted work.

Case Title: M/S MRT MUSIC v. MR JAIRAM RAMESH & Others

Case NO: CCC 1093/2022

Appearance: PRANAV KUMAR M for applicant.