The Zee Media Corporation Ltd sued journalist Rajat Sharma and his news channel India TV for copyright infringement.
Rajat Sharma’s channel had used an old video of late Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray on its channel. The 1993 episode, from the show ‘Aap Ki Adalat’ was live in all of India TV’s platforms.
Zee raised the issue in the Delhi high court that India TV used the episode during the political drama that unfolded in Maharashtra on June 25 and June 26. The episode was originally produced and telecasted by Zee back in 1993. Rajat Sharma was an employee at that time.
However, Rajat Sharma and his team of lawyers have assured the court that the video has been removed and will not be used in the future.
Justice Sharma who is hearing the case remarked that the timing of India TV to air the episode helped certain political parties.
“You timed it well… We all know why it happened. We understand the timing and the trigger. We all understand it,” the judge said.
Zee has however said that it owns the copyright of 140 episodes between 1992-1997 and demanded all the episodes be removed from India TV social media platforms.
The next hearing is scheduled on September 20.
