In the fight against online piracy, a dynamic injunction is a crucial legal tool that allows rights’ holders to swiftly act against infringing platforms that frequently change domains or operate mirror websites. Such injunctions are vital in ensuring that copyright enforcement keeps pace with digital infringers’ ever-evolving tactics.
A recent example highlighting the importance of dynamic injunctions is the case by Star India Pvt. Ltd. before the Delhi High Court, where the company sought to restrain websites like Vegamovies.pet & Ors. from illegally hosting its content. Citing financial and reputational harm, Star India secured an ad interim ex-parte injunction, with the Court recognising the urgency and potential irreparable damage to its IP rights.
Plaintiff’s Arguments
The Plaintiff, Star India Pvt. Ltd., a major media and entertainment company under The Walt Disney Company India, is widely known for producing and broadcasting popular TV shows, films, and web series through its Star channels and the Disney+ Hotstar platform. Following the merger with Novi Digital Entertainment Pvt. Ltd. in May 2024, all rights, interests, and liabilities of Novi were transferred to Star India, making it the exclusive rights’ holder under Sections 14(d) and 17 of the Copyright Act, 1957.
In the present suit, the plaintiff, Star India, identified numerous websites- including vegamovies.pet and extramovies.my- that were unlawfully streaming and distributing over 20 of its copyrighted works without authorisation. These included well-known titles such as The Legend of Hanuman and Criminal Justice. The plaintiff contended that such activities resulted in significant financial losses and reputational harm, while the defendants profited by exploiting its content without any contribution to its creation.
The plaintiff also informed the Court that it had taken legal steps by sending notices to the infringing websites (defendants 1–23), but none responded. The defendants had also deliberately concealed their domain registration and contact information, indicating a wilful intent to continue infringing. Many of the websites explicitly stated they sourced content from third-party sites unauthorised to distribute copyrighted materials. Furthermore, Star India’s newest content regularly appeared on these platforms, underlining the persistent nature of the infringement.
The plaintiff also highlighted that the infringers constantly changed domain names and launched mirror websites to bypass enforcement efforts. Citing the Delhi High Court’s ruling in UTV Software Communication Ltd. & Ors. v. 1337X.to & Ors., Star India sought a dynamic injunction to address this evolving form of piracy effectively.
In addition to an ad interim injunction to prevent further unauthorised dissemination of its content, Star India requested the Court to direct Domain Name Registrars (defendants 24–34) and Internet Service Providers (defendants 35–43) to suspend the infringing domains and block access to them. It also urged the Department of Telecommunications (defendant 44) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (defendant 45) to ensure compliance with the Court’s orders.
The Court’s Orders
After hearing Star India’s arguments, the Delhi High Court acknowledged the urgency of the case and granted an ad interim ex-parte injunction. The Court restrained the Defendants from hosting, streaming, or distributing any of Star India’s copyrighted works without authorisation. Recognising the dynamic nature of online piracy, the Court granted Star India the Dynamic+ Injunction it had requested. The Dynamic+ injunction empowered Star India to implead any future infringing websites that might emerge under different domain names or variations, offering comprehensive and ongoing protection for its copyrighted works.
The Court also directed the Domain Name Registrars (Defendant Nos. 24-34) to suspend the registration of the infringing domains and disclose details about their operators. This included crucial information like IP addresses, contact details, and payment methods used for registering these websites. Additionally, the Court ordered Internet Service Providers (Defendant Nos. 35-43) to block access to the infringing websites and requested DoT and MEITY to ensure that the ISPs complied with these instructions within four weeks.
In furtherance of these directions, the Court allowed Star India to implead hundreds of additional rogue websites and domain name registrars through successive applications filed between December 2024 and April 2025. These newly identified defendants were also found to be illegally disseminating Star India’s copyrighted content. With each order, the Court extended the existing blocking injunctions to cover the fresh defendants and directed service through electronic means, highlighting the judiciary’s commitment to robust digital copyright enforcement.
Conclusion
With the entertainment industry increasingly moving to digital platforms, the protection of intellectual property in the online space has become a matter of utmost importance. Star India Pvt. Ltd. vs Vegamovies.Pet & Ors. demonstrates how courts are willing to adapt to the dynamic threats of piracy by granting comprehensive injunctions that address current and future infringements.
In an industry where new content is created and distributed at a fast pace, obtaining dynamic relief against rogue websites is a powerful tool for rights holders. The Dynamic+ Injunction granted in this case acknowledges that the fight against piracy is ongoing, and legal remedies must be flexible and robust enough to keep up with the ever-changing tactics of infringers.
Authors: Manisha Singh and Kratika Patel
First Published by: LegalEra here