Music label T-Series has filed a copyright case against startup ShareChat in the Delhi High Court, which has placed an injunction against the social media platform "after hearing both parties," a press release from T-Series said. T-Series' partner, Lahari Recording Company has filed a police complaint in Bengaluru, alleging that ShareChat allows its users to download copyrighted music, causing a financial loss to the music label. A First Information Report or FIR has been filed against the social media startup based on the complaint. ShareChat, on it part, has accused the music partners of "intimidation" and says it is "fully in compliance with Indian laws."
Neeraj Kalyan, President, T-Series Digital and Legal, said, "T-Series has already filed a suit for infringement against ShareChat in the Delhi High Court wherein an injunction was granted by the Hon'ble High Court but ShareChat being habitual offenders still continues to infringe our copyrights and are in contempt of court order. Copyright is an exclusive right under the Indian law and tech companies with loads of foreign institutional funding are only focused on increasing their valuation while disregarding the copyrights with impunity. T-Series follows a policy of zero tolerance against infringement and we completely support this action by Lahari Recording Company."
A statement from ShareChat disputed the facts released by T-Series: "There are a number of factual inaccuracies in the press release being released by T-series. These include the issue of injunction by the Hon'ble Delhi High Court "after hearing both parties." The order passed by the Hon'ble Delhi High Court was passed ex-parte and ad-interim."
ShareChat claims that "The legal proceedings by T-Series and Lahari, in a concerted manner, are only to intimidate the ShareChat and other intermediaries of similar nature. ShareChat is vigorously defending itself in both these cases and shall abide by any verdict that the courts may pass."
