Delhi High Court
Living Media India Limited & Anr. vs Www.News-Aajtak.Co.In & Ors. on 20 November, 2023
Author: Prathiba M. Singh
Bench: Prathiba M. Singh
$~20
* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
Date of decision: 20th November, 2023
+ CS(COMM) 395/2020, I.As. 8516/2020 & 3065/2021
LIVING MEDIA INDIA LIMITED & ANR. ..... Plaintiffs
Through: Mr. Rahul Beruar, Ms. Jyotsana
Sinha, Advs. (M. 9910044787)
versus
WWW.NEWS-AAJTAK.CO.IN & ORS. ..... Defendants
Through: Ms. Shweta Sahu, Mr. Alipak
Banerjee & Mr. Brijesh Ujjainwal,
Advs. for D-3
CORAM:
JUSTICE PRATHIBA M. SINGH
Prathiba M. Singh, J. (Oral)
1. This hearing has been done through hybrid mode.
2. The present suit relates to various domain names and other online media usage of the mark 'AAJ TAK', 'AB TAK' and various other similar marks/names to that of the Plaintiff's mark/name 'AAJ TAK'.
3. The mark 'AAJ TAK' has been repeatedly protected in various proceedings. In the present suit, vide order dated 24th September, 2020, an ex parte injunction was granted against the use of the domain names www.news- aajtak.co.in, www.aajtaknewsdaily.com, www.newsaajtaklive.com and www.aajtakreport.com.
4. Further domain names were also included and the injunction order dated 24th September, 2020 was also extended to the said domain names vide order dated 6th September, 2021 read with order dated 17th September, 2021.
5. The Plaintiffs have also impleaded numerous Domain Name Registrars Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 1 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48 (DNRs) and other platforms where the infringing use of the name 'AAJ TAK', including its content, was observed. During the pendency of this suit, all the domain names and other instances of infringing use of the Plaintiffs' mark at the following links has been either removed or disabled. A complete status report dated 20th November 2023 as handed over by the ld. Counsel for the Plaintiffs is set out below:
S. Defendant Infringing Screenshots from weblinks Status No. No. website/ Updated status as on 20.11.2023 profile/ channel.
1. Defendant NewsAajTak www.news-aajtak.co.in Website, No. 1 Twitter
- Website and
- Facebook Facebook profile profile
- Twitter disabled.
profile https://www.facebook.com/Newsaajtakonline/ https://twitter.com/mpcgnewsaajtak Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 2 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48
2. Defendant AAJTAK www.aajtaknewsdaily.com Website No. 2 NEWS disabled.
DAILY
D2's new
- Websites website
shows this
message.
Whois
says - not
been
registered
yet.
D2's new website - www.aajtaknewsdaily.in (I.A. No. 3065/2021 under O39 R2A pending)
3. Defendant Newsaajtakliv www.newsaajtaklive.com Website No. 4 e and YouTube
- Website channel
- Facebook disabled.
profile
Signature Not Verified
Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 3 of 21
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
- YouTube Facebook
channel profile
now
disabled.
.
https://www.facebook.com/NEWSAAJTAKLIVENT W/?ref=page_internal https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxaDLaOlAUoK _gJmP4uGrYg
4. Defendant Aaj Tak www.aajtakreport.com Website, No. 6 Report Facebook profile and
- Website Instagram profile Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 4 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48
- Facebook disabled.
profile
- Instagram
profile
https://www.facebook.com/Aaj-Tak-Report- %E0%A4%86%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4 %95- %E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A 4%9A%E0%A4%B0-101803404936371/ https://www.instagram.com/aajtakreport/
5. Defendant Aaj Tak Live Website No. 9 www.aajtaklive.in disabled.
- Websit
e Domain
Signature Not Verified
Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 5 of 21
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
first
registered
with Def.3
(GoDaddy
) and now
registered
with
Def.16
(Hosting
Concepts
B.V.)
6. 10 Aaj Tak India www.aajtakindianews.com Website,
News Facebook
Profile and
- Website YouTube
- Facebook channel
profile disabled.
- YouTube
channel
https://www.facebook.com/aajtakindianews1/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-5jrJioIW- 5ZDB5QUfSlsA/featured Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 6 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48
7. 11 E Aaj Tak www.eaajtak.com Domain name
- Website seems
- Facebook inactive.
profile Website
- YouTube can't be
channel reached.
- Twitter
profile Facebook
Profile
disabled.
https://www.facebook.com/eaajtaknews YouTube
channel
renamed
and
content
removed.
Twitter
profile
active.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbwVcvsdtX5DC 83Wznep39w/featured Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 7 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48 https://twitter.com/eaajtak?lang=en
8. Defendant Zulm aajtak https://www.zulmaajtak.page/ Website, No. 12 Facebook
- Website profile and
- Facebook YouTube profile channel
- YouTube disabled.
channel
- Twitter Twitter
profile profile
active.
https://www.facebook.com/Zulm-Aaj-Tak-news- 336152670373535/?ti=as Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 8 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48 https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4p8mpWHOa4 OKdKGCDVKZnA/featured https://twitter.com/zulmaajtak00
9. Defendant Aaj Tak Hind www.aajtakhind.com Website No. 14 and
- Website Instagram
- Instagram profile profile disabled.
Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 9 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48 - Twitter Twitter
profile profile
active.
https://www.instagram.com/aajtakhind https://twitter.com/aajtakhind094
10. Defendant Aaj Tak org. https://aajtak.org.in/ Access to No. 15 website
- Websit denied.
e Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 10 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48
11. Defendant Aaj Tak www.aajtaksolapur.in Website, No. 17 Solapur Facebook, Twitter
- Website and
- Facebook Instagram profile profile and
- YouTube YouTube channel channel
- Twitter disabled.
profile
- Instagram profile https://www.facebook.com/AajTakSolapur/?ref=page_ internal https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQv4PNjGxOP Wgm7wc6GwTg Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 11 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48 https://twitter.com/aajtaksolapur?lang=en https://www.instagram.com/aajtak_solapur/?hl=en,
12. Defendant Digital Aaj https://www.facebook.com/Digitalaajtak/?ref=page_int Disabled.
No. 18 Tak ernal
- Facebook
profile
Signature Not Verified
Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 12 of 21
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
13. Defendant Bharat Ab Tak https://www.facebook.com/bharatabtaknews/ Disabled.
No. 19 News
- Facebook
profile
14. Defendant Aaj Tak News https://www.facebook.com/newzifyofficial/?ref=br_rs Disabled.
No. 20
- Facebook
profile
15. Defendant Aaj Tak News https://www.facebook.com/Aaj-Tak-News-Official- Disabled.
No. 21 Official 675416789301363/?ref=br_rs
- Facebook
profile
Signature Not Verified
Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 13 of 21
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
16. Defendant Live Samachar https://www.facebook.com/livesamachaar/?ref=page_i Facebook
No. 22 nternal profile
- Facebook disabled.
profile
https://www.facebook.com/livesamachaar/photos/pb.1 00064494320225.-
2207520000./913114392127210/?type=3 https://www.facebook.com/livesamachaar/photos/pb.1 00064494320225.-
2207520000./922041514567831/?type=3 Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 14 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48 https://www.facebook.com/livesamachaar/photos/pb.1 00064494320225.-
2207520000./917101765061806/?type=3
17. Defendant Aaj Tak News https://www.facebook.com/Aaj-TaK-News- Disabled.
No. 23 419173384920351/?ref=br_rs
- Facebook profile
18. Defendant Aap Tak https://www.facebook.com/Aap-tak- Disabled.
No. 24 113070007053994/?ref=br_rs
- Facebook profile Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 15 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48
19. Defendant Araria Aaj Tak https://www.facebook.com/Araria-AajTak- Disabled.
No. 25 338544463242779/
- Facebook
profile
20. Defendant Aaj Tak News https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFsowQfxB0zZD Disabled.
No. 27 Jahanabad
Czm-ZJLbsQ/featured
- YouTube
channel
21. Defendant Aaj Tak News https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPXd08FsF2OD Disabled.
No. 28.
- YouTube 8a5eIfCTVA/featured channel Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 16 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48
22. Defendant MP Aaj Tak https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6IXoyHzqHtR9 Disabled.
No. 29.
We7D4iYSBA/featured
- YouTube channel
23. Defendant Only Aaj Tak https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB4PGmInXtrcc Disabled.
No. 30- YouTube OMWs4asc8Q channel Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 17 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48
24. Defendant Aaj Tak Hindi https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5M6f4bVqMgF Disabled.
No. 31 - YouTube KWYpg-qrv9A
channel
25. Defendant Hindustan Aaj https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvvcSxwbn1gyjb Disabled.
No. 32 Tak
8DgVPsUZQ
- YouTube
channel
26. Defendant AAJ TAK PK https://www.youtube.com/c/AAJTAKPK/featured Disabled.
No. 33
- YouTube
channel
Signature Not Verified
Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 18 of 21
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
27. Defendant Sanchar https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq66W9tGCoxg2 Disabled.
No. 34 Aajtak News
5kmAVHmBLA
- YouTube
channel
28. Defendant https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdmY- Disabled.
M.आजतक
No. 35
(M. Aajtak) mZL_Dm_Kf9Zx8XfIrA
- YouTube
channel
29. Defendant Aaj Tak https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLOK8uyf8q1mn Disabled.
No. 36 Haryana
SqpAv9nMoA
- YouTube
channel
Signature Not Verified
Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 19 of 21
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
6. Even Defendant No. 16- Hosting Concepts B.V. is stated to have complied with the order of suspension. Vide affidavit dated 25 th July 2023, the authorised signatory of Defendant No. 16 has deposed as under:
"4. On becoming aware of these orders, Hosting Concepts immediately acted upon them by: (i) suspending the domain names 'aajtaklive.in' and ' aajtak.org.in'; and (ii) sending an email dated July 19, 2023 to the Plaintiff's counsel, informing them of the suspension of the two domain names. A copy of the email dated July 19, 2023 sent by Hosting Concepts to the Plaintiff's counsel is annexed herewith and marked as Document-2. A copy of the WHO IS details of the domain names aajtaklive.in and aajtak.org.in, showing that these domains have been suspended, is annexed herewith and marked as Document-3"
7. In view of the above status report indicating that the use of the mark 'AAJ TAK' has been disabled on all channels, and the domain names have been either suspended, locked or blocked, the suit shall stand decreed against the Defendant Nos. 1, 2, 4, 9 to 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20 to 25 and 27 to 37. The said Defendants are permanently restraining from using the mark 'AAJ TAK' or any other deceptively similar or identical mark, in any manner whatsoever for media, news, entertainment, or any other similar services.
Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 20 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:488. Insofar as the DNRs are concerned, the DNRs/the platforms including YouTube and Facebook shall continue keeping the infringing account disabled. It is submitted by Ms. Shweta Sahu, ld. Counsel that some domain names have already expired and already have been released. This statement is taken on record and if any domain names have been so released and subsequently registered through any other DNR, the DNR in the present suit would no longer be responsible.
9. The application under Order XXXIX Rule 2A CPC being I.A 3065/2021 is no longer pressed and is accordingly disposed of.
10. The suit is decreed in the above terms. Let the decree sheet be drawn up. All pending applications are also disposed of.
PRATHIBA M. SINGH JUDGE NOVEMBER 20, 2023 Rahul/dn Signature Not Verified Digitally Signed CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 21 of 21 By:DHIRENDER KUMAR Signing Date:23.11.2023 12:57:48