Delhi HC orders Meta to take down ‘pirated’ Zee content from Facebook
The Delhi High Court directed Meta to take down multiple Facebook URLs unauthorizedly hosting copyrighted content belonging to Zee Entertainment Enterprises Ltd. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani issued an ex parte ad-interim order, noting that several Facebook profiles illegally uploaded and monetised Zee’s television shows and clips without permission. While the court ordered the removal of the specified infringing URLs provided by Zee, it declined to block the accused Facebook accounts at this stage, waiting for Meta’s formal reply. (see here)
Court Orders Influencer to Delete Reels Targeting Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra
Mumbai court orders influencer Shamita Yadav (“the.ranting.gola”) to delete two Instagram reels targeting Shilpa Shetty and Raj Kundra, and bars similar posts until the next hearing on August 21. The couple’s April defamation suit claims Yadav falsely accused them of criminal conduct—specifically, that Kundra targets minors and Shetty stokes communal hatred. They’re seeking ₹15 crore in damages. See here
Supreme Court Allows Pan-India Release of Animated Film ‘Mahaprabhu Jagannath’ After July 28
Per this report, the Supreme Court cleared the nationwide release of the animated film Mahaprabhu Jagannath, permitting it to hit theatres on or after July 28. Once the Lord Jagannath Yatra festivities conclude. A bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and R Mahadevan noted that the film is based on a web series already available on YouTube and has received certification from the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC). The ruling overturns an interim order from the Orissa High Court, which had restrained Ele Animations Pvt Ltd from releasing the film as scheduled this Friday. The High Court had imposed the hold after concerns were raised that the film’s portrayal of Lord Jagannath—including fictionalised childhood scenes, dialogue, and battle sequences—contradicted sacred texts like the Skanda Purana and Brahma Purana, as well as established temple traditions. The High Court had previously ruled that the objections warranted detailed judicial scrutiny before the film could be exhibited. That order came in response to a public interest litigation filed by Mahesh Kumar Sahu and two other petitioners, who had sought the cancellation of the film’s CBFC certification and a ban on its screening in Odisha.
Punjab and Haryana High Court Allows PIL on Diljit Dosanjh Film ‘Satluj’ to Be Withdrawn
The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday dismissed as withdrawn a PIL seeking the restoration of Diljit Dosanjh’s film Satluj (originally titled Punjab 95) on ZEE5. A Division Bench allowed the petition to be withdrawn; a detailed order is pending. The PIL filed by Sharwan Singh had challenged the film’s removal from ZEE5 just two days after its July 3 release, with no disclosed legal or government order justifying the takedown. The petitioner argued this violated the public’s right to access certified content under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution. During the hearing, the Union Government and CBFC questioned the petitioner’s legal standing to file the case. (See here)
Bombay HC directs Centre to file reply to Kunal Kamra’s plea
Bombay High Court gives Centre until July 29 to respond to Kunal Kamra’s plea challenging the Sahyog Portal and IT Rules amendment. Kamra argues the provisions enable content takedowns without prior notice, bypassing safeguards under Section 69A of the IT Act and violating free speech under Article 19(1)(a). He also contends the Centre unlawfully delegated blocking powers to states, which falls exclusively under Union jurisdiction. The Centre has missed multiple filing deadlines. The Karnataka High Court previously upheld the Portal, ruling it facilitates cooperation—not censorship. See here
Delhi High Court takes up creators’ plea over Meta copyright loophole being exploited to hijack Instagram reels
Pushkar Raj Thakur and Neeraj Joshi, two creators, have alleged that bad actors upload an unrelated Facebook post, then edit it later to swap in someone else’s Instagram reel. Because Facebook’s edit feature doesn’t change the original upload date, the post falsely appears to predate the creator’s content. This edited post is then used to claim ownership through Meta’s Rights Manager, triggering automated copyright strikes against the original creator’s Instagram account—often leading to takedowns and account suspension risks. The broader policy issue that creators raised is that Meta’s automated copyright system accepts complaints without adequately verifying edit history or publication timelines, making it vulnerable to exploitation and turning a creator protection tool into a weapon against creators themselves. See here
Supreme Court Imposes INR 3 Lakh Cost on Samay Raina, Raps Comedians for Breach of Undertakings
The Supreme Court imposed costs of INR 3 lakh each on comedian Samay Raina and four other comedians, holding that they had failed to comply with undertakings given to the Court in proceedings arising from the India’s Got Latent controversy involving insensitive jokes about persons with disabilities. The Court observed that Raina had “taken the Court for a ride” by not honouring his commitments, including measures intended to promote disability awareness and support. Strongly criticising the conduct of the comedians, the Bench remarked that such disregard for solemn undertakings amounted to arrogance and undermined the administration of justice, while directing the imposed costs to be utilised for the welfare of persons with disabilities. See here
