No Unauthorised Broadcast of ICC World Cup Matches : Delhi High Court

Justice Gita Mittal

Source : Indlaw

The Delhi High Court today restrained around 144 cable operators across the country from telecasting the ongoing cricket World Cup as they were unauthorisedly accessing signals of ESPN Software India Pvt Ltd (ESIPL) and showing it to the viewer. 

Justice Gita Mittal said that after this order, anyone found showing the telecast of cricket match will be prosecuted under the contempt of court. 

'Anyone showing the broadcast of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 through any unauthorised means or any other channel will be held for contempt of court and liable for prosecution.' Justice Mittal said. 

The court was hearing a petition filed by ESIPL, the company seeking an order to restrain cable operators from unauthorisedly broadcasting the tournament. 

The ICC Cricket World Cup, being co-hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, is being telecast on ESPN, STAR Sports and STAR Cricket channels from February 19 to April 2. 

The Court directed the cable operators to file status report within a week and gave permission to ESIPL to take action against all other cable operators not party to the suit but unauthorisedly utilising the feed of ESPN, STAR Sports and STAR Cricket without licence. 

ESIPL, in its petition, urged the court to ban the 144 cable operators from accessing signals of the cricket matches without taking a licence from the company. 

The court restrained the 144 cable operators from transmitting and/or telecasting in any manner whatsoever without licence from ESS (ESPN STAR Sports) the telecast of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. 

The court also restrained the other cable operators who have not been named in the petition and issued injunction against unnamed cable operators indulging in the illegal telecast and directed the police to render assistance to ESIPL to enforce the court order.