$~25 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI % Date of Decision: 15th January, 2026 + CS(COMM) 175/2025 & I.As. 5288/2025, 5290/2025 STAR INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED .....Plaintiff Through: Ms. Ishi Singh, Advocate. versus 1XBETCOM & ORS. .....Defendants Through: Ms. Rukhmini Bobde, CGSC for D-42 and 43. CORAM: HON'BLE MS. JUSTICE JYOTI SINGH JUDGEMENT JYOTI SINGH, J. (ORAL) 1. This suit is instituted by the Plaintiff seeking permanent injunction restraining Defendants No. 1 to 24 from infringing Plaintiff’s exclusive broadcasting and reproduction rights, amongst other reliefs. 2. Subject matter of the present suit is ‘ICC Champions Trophy 2025’ (‘Event’). The matches under the Event were scheduled from 19.02.2025 till 09.03.2025 and included 12 matches, 2 semi finals and a final and were held in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates. 3. As per the case set up in the plaint, Plaintiff is an entertainment and media company in India engaged, inter alia in production of popular content broadcasted on its channels. Along with its affiliates, Plaintiff is the owner of an extensive portfolio of more than 100 channels in over 10 languages, including channels like Star Movies, Colors Infinity, Sports18, Star Gold, Star Sports 1, MTV, Disney Channel, National Geographic etc. By virtue of order dated 27.09.2024, passed by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Government of India, granting uplink and downlink permissions, Plaintiff has the sole and exclusive right to broadcast and distribute Star Channels in India, which broadcast sporting events in sports such as Cricket, Football, Formula 1, Badminton, Hockey, to name a few. 4. It is stated that Plaintiff owns and operates online audio-visual streaming platform and websites ‘www.hotstar.com’, ‘www.Jiocinema.com’ and mobile applications ‘JioHotstar’ and ‘JioCinema’. Plaintiff’s OTTs enable viewers to watch television serials and programs, films, sports content, including live sports content etc. The highly evolved video streaming technology, impeccable quality of video streaming and vast library of content, places the Plaintiff amongst the most popular video streaming services in India. 5. It is stated that Plaintiff entered into Media Rights Agreement dated 27.08.2022 with ICC for exclusive digital medial rights and television rights for India in relation to various domestic and international men’s and women’s cricket competitions inter alia for a period of 4 years i.e., from 2024 to 2027 and consequently, Plaintiff enjoys broadcast reproduction rights conferred by Section 37 of The Copyright Act, 1957 (‘1957 Act’). 6. The present suit was instituted by the Plaintiff for restraining Defendants No. 1 to 24 and all others acting on their behalf from communicating, hosting, streaming, screening, disseminating or making available for viewing or downloading, without authorization, any part of the event on any electronic or digital platform in any manner. Plaintiff impleaded the Domain Registrars as Defendants No. 25 to 31 to lock and suspend the given domain names of Defendants No. 1 to 24. Defendants No. 32 to 39 are ISPs/TSPs, which were impleaded to block the websites of Defendants No. 1 to 24. Defendant No. 42 is DoT and Defendant No. 43 is MeitY for the purpose of issuing blocking orders. Defendants No. 40 and 41 are banks, which were impleaded to freeze the bank accounts and disclose KYC details etc. 7. On 28.02.2025, after hearing the Plaintiff’s counsel, Court granted ex parte ad interim injunction in favour of the Plaintiff and restrained Defendants No. 1 to 24 from hosting, streaming etc., any part of the event without authorization, on any platform and in any manner whatsoever. Directions were passed to the DNRs to lock and suspend the given domain names of Defendants No. 1 to 24, while ISPs/TSPs were directed to block the websites, amongst other directions to the other Defendants. On 23.09.2025, learned Joint Registrar recorded that all 45 Defendants were served with summons and neither written statements to the suit nor replies to I.A. No. 5288/2025 were filed and considering that the maximum permissible period to file written statements was over, right to file the written statements was closed for Defendants No. 1 to 44 since Defendant No. 45 is a John Doe and the matter was placed before this Court for directions. 8. None has entered appearance on behalf of Defendants No. 1 to 41. Their right to file written statements has been closed. It appears that the said Defendants are not interested in contesting the suit and are accordingly set ex parte. 9. I have heard the counsel for the Plaintiff and perused the documents, including the averments in the plaint. 10. Plaint is duly verified and supported by affidavit of the authorized signatory of the Plaintiff. In view of the fact that no written statements have been filed on behalf of Defendants No. 1 to 24, all averments in the plaint will be deemed to be admitted. No affidavit of admission/denial has been filed by the said Defendants in respect of documents filed by the Plaintiff and therefore, in terms of Rule 3 of Delhi High Court (Original Side) Rules, 2018, the documents filed with the plaint are also deemed to be admitted. From the plaint and material on record, Plaintiff is able to demonstrate that it owns media/television rights in several sporting events mentioned in the plaint and also owns and operates several general entertainment channels, including but not limited to Star Plus, Star Sports 1 etc. Plaintiff also owns and operates online video streaming platform/website ‘www.hotstar.com’ and mobile applications as aforementioned. Under Agreement dated 27.08.2022, Plaintiff acquired exclusive digital media rights and television rights from ICC. The present suit pertains to ICC Champions Trophy 2025 for matches, which were scheduled between 19.02.2025 and 09.03.2025, which are over. 11. From the plaint, it emerges that Defendants No. 1 to 24 are rogue websites, which were indulging in betting and gambling services and infringing Plaintiff’s rights in sporting events as also in unauthorized dissemination and communication of the matches, till the ex parte injunction order was passed by the Court. Plaintiff paid a significant amount towards consideration for acquisition of media rights expecting to earn substantial revenues from the broadcast and live streaming of the events on its digital platform. Illegal activities of Defendants No. 1 to 24 have caused irreparable harm to the Plaintiff and infringed its exclusive rights of broadcasting. Despite service, said Defendants have chosen not to contest the suit and are thus liable to be restrained from disseminating and communicating to the public, Plaintiff’s works, without any authorization/licence from the Plaintiff. RELIEFS: 12. In view of the above, decree of permanent injunction is passed in favour of the Plaintiff and against Defendants No. 1 to 24 in terms of prayer clause 61(i) of the plaint since Plaintiff does not press any other relief. 13. Registry is directed to draw up the decree sheet. 14. Suit stands disposed of along with pending applications. JYOTI SINGH, J JANUARY 15, 2026 S.Sharma CS(COMM) 175/2025 Page 2 of 2