Full Judgment Text
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* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
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Date of decision: 20 November, 2023
+ CS(COMM) 395/2020, I.As. 8516/2020 & 3065/2021
| Mr. Rahul Beruar, Ms. Jyotsana | |||
| Sinha | , Advs. (M. | 9910044787 | ) |
Prathiba M. Singh, J. (Oral)
1. This hearing has been done through hybrid mode.
2. The present suit relates to various domain names and other online
media usage of the mark ‘AAJ TAK’, ‘AB TAK’ and various other similar
marks/names to that of the Plaintiff’s mark/name ‘AAJ TAK’.
3. The mark ‘AAJ TAK’ has been repeatedly protected in various
proceedings. In the present suit, vide order dated 24th September, 2020, an ex
parte injunction was granted against the use of the domain names www.news-
aajtak.co.in , www.aajtaknewsdaily.com , www.newsaajtaklive.com and
www.aajtakreport.com .
4. Further domain names were also included and the injunction order
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dated 24 September, 2020 was also extended to the said domain names vide
order dated 6th September, 2021 read with order dated 17th September, 2021.
5. The Plaintiffs have also impleaded numerous Domain Name Registrars
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 1 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
(DNRs) and other platforms where the infringing use of the name ‘AAJ TAK’,
including its content, was observed. During the pendency of this suit, all the
domain names and other instances of infringing use of the Plaintiffs’ mark at
the following links has been either removed or disabled. A complete status
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report dated 20 November 2023 as handed over by the ld. Counsel for the
Plaintiffs is set out below:
| S.<br>No. | Defendant<br>No. | Infringing<br>website/<br>profile/<br>channel. | Screenshots from weblinks<br>Updated status as on 20.11.2023 | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Defendant<br>No. 1 | NewsAajTak<br>- Website<br>- Facebook<br>profile<br>- Twitter<br>profile | www.news-aajtak.co.in<br>https://www.facebook.com/Newsaajtakonline/<br>https://twitter.com/mpcgnewsaajtak | Website,<br>Twitter<br>and<br>Facebook<br>profile<br>disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 2 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| 2. | Defendant<br>No. 2 | AAJTAK<br>NEWS<br>DAILY<br>- Websites | www.aajtaknewsdaily.com<br>D2’s new website – www.aajtaknewsdaily.in (I.A. No.<br>3065/2021 under O39 R2A pending) | Website<br>disabled.<br>D2’s new<br>website<br>shows this<br>message.<br>Whois<br>says – not<br>been<br>registered<br>yet. |
| 3. | Defendant<br>No. 4 | Newsaajtakliv<br>e<br>- Website<br>- Facebook<br>profile | www.newsaajtaklive.com | Website<br>and<br>YouTube<br>channel<br>disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 3 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| - YouTube<br>channel | https://www.facebook.com/NEWSAAJTAKLIVENT<br>W/?ref=page_internal<br>https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxaDLaOlAUoK<br>_gJmP4uGrYg | Facebook<br>profile<br>now<br>disabled.<br>. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4. | Defendant<br>No. 6 | Aaj Tak<br>Report<br>- Website | www.aajtakreport.com | Website,<br>Facebook<br>profile and<br>Instagram<br>profile |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 4 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| - Facebook<br>profile<br>- Instagram<br>profile | https://www.facebook.com/Aaj-Tak-Report-<br>%E0%A4%86%E0%A4%9C%E0%A4%A4%E0%A4<br>%95-<br>%E0%A4%B8%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A<br>4%9A%E0%A4%B0-101803404936371/<br>https://www.instagram.com/aajtakreport/ | disabled. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5. | Defendant<br>No. 9 | Aaj Tak Live<br>- Websit<br>e | www.aajtaklive.in | Website<br>disabled.<br>Domain |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 5 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| first<br>registered<br>with Def.3<br>(GoDaddy<br>) and now<br>registered<br>with<br>Def.16<br>(Hosting<br>Concepts<br>B.V.) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6. | 10 | Aaj Tak India<br>News<br>- Website<br>- Facebook<br>profile<br>- YouTube<br>channel | www.aajtakindianews.com<br>https://www.facebook.com/aajtakindianews1/<br>https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-5jrJioIW-<br>5ZDB5QUfSlsA/featured | Website,<br>Facebook<br>Profile and<br>YouTube<br>channel<br>disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 6 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| 7. | 11 | E Aaj Tak<br>- Website<br>- Facebook<br>profile<br>- YouTube<br>channel<br>- Twitter<br>profile | www.eaajtak.com<br>https://www.facebook.com/eaajtaknews<br>https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbwVcvsdtX5DC<br>83Wznep39w/featured | Domain<br>name<br>seems<br>inactive.<br>Website<br>can’t be<br>reached.<br>Facebook<br>Profile<br>disabled.<br>YouTube<br>channel<br>renamed<br>and<br>content<br>removed.<br>Twitter<br>profile<br>active. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 7 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| https://twitter.com/eaajtak?lang=en | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8. | Defendant<br>No. 12 | Zulm aajtak<br>- Website<br>- Facebook<br>profile<br>- YouTube<br>channel<br>- Twitter<br>profile | https://www.zulmaajtak.page/<br>https://www.facebook.com/Zulm-Aaj-Tak-news-<br>336152670373535/?ti=as | Website,<br>Facebook<br>profile and<br>YouTube<br>channel<br>disabled.<br>Twitter<br>profile<br>active. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 8 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4p8mpWHOa4<br>OKdKGCDVKZnA/featured<br>https://twitter.com/zulmaajtak00 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9. | Defendant<br>No. 14 | Aaj Tak Hind<br>- Website<br>- Instagram<br>profile | www.aajtakhind.com | Website<br>and<br>Instagram<br>profile<br>disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 9 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| - Twitter<br>profile | https://www.instagram.com/aajtakhind<br>https://twitter.com/aajtakhind094 | Twitter<br>profile<br>active. | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10. | Defendant<br>No. 15 | Aaj Tak org.<br>- Websit<br>e | https://aajtak.org.in/ | Access to<br>website<br>denied. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 10 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| 11. | Defendant<br>No. 17 | Aaj Tak<br>Solapur<br>- Website<br>- Facebook<br>profile<br>- YouTube<br>channel<br>- Twitter<br>profile<br>- Instagram<br>profile | www.aajtaksolapur.in<br>https://www.facebook.com/AajTakSolapur/?ref=page_<br>internal<br>https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRQv4PNjGxOP<br>Wgm7wc6GwTg | Website,<br>Facebook,<br>Twitter<br>and<br>Instagram<br>profile and<br>YouTube<br>channel<br>disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 11 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| https://twitter.com/aajtaksolapur?lang=en<br>https://www.instagram.com/aajtak_solapur/?hl=en, | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12. | Defendant<br>No. 18 | Digital Aaj<br>Tak<br>- Facebook<br>profile | https://www.facebook.com/Digitalaajtak/?ref=page_int<br>ernal | Disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 12 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| 13. | Defendant<br>No. 19 | Bharat Ab Tak<br>News<br>- Facebook<br>profile | https://www.facebook.com/bharatabtaknews/ | Disabled. |
| 14. | Defendant<br>No. 20 | Aaj Tak News<br>- Facebook<br>profile | https://www.facebook.com/newzifyofficial/?ref=br_rs | Disabled. |
| 15. | Defendant<br>No. 21 | Aaj Tak News<br>Official<br>- Facebook<br>profile | https://www.facebook.com/Aaj-Tak-News-Official-<br>675416789301363/?ref=br_rs | Disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 13 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| 16. | Defendant<br>No. 22 | Live Samachar<br>- Facebook<br>profile | https://www.facebook.com/livesamachaar/?ref=page_i<br>nternal<br>https://www.facebook.com/livesamachaar/photos/pb.1<br>00064494320225.-<br>2207520000./913114392127210/?type=3<br>https://www.facebook.com/livesamachaar/photos/pb.1<br>00064494320225.-<br>2207520000./922041514567831/?type=3 | Facebook<br>profile<br>disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 14 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| https://www.facebook.com/livesamachaar/photos/pb.1<br>00064494320225.-<br>2207520000./917101765061806/?type=3 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17. | Defendant<br>No. 23 | Aaj Tak News<br>- Facebook<br>profile | https://www.facebook.com/Aaj-TaK-News-<br>419173384920351/?ref=br_rs | Disabled. |
| 18. | Defendant<br>No. 24 | Aap Tak<br>- Facebook<br>profile | https://www.facebook.com/Aap-tak-<br>113070007053994/?ref=br_rs | Disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 15 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| 19. | Defendant<br>No. 25 | Araria Aaj Tak<br>- Facebook<br>profile | https://www.facebook.com/Araria-AajTak-<br>338544463242779/ | Disabled. |
| 20. | Defendant<br>No. 27 | Aaj Tak News<br>Jahanabad<br>- YouTube<br>channel | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFsowQfxB0zZD<br>Czm-ZJLbsQ/featured | Disabled. |
| 21. | Defendant<br>No. 28. | Aaj Tak News<br>- YouTube<br>channel | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxPXd08FsF2OD<br>8a5eIfCTVA/featured | Disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 16 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| 22. | Defendant<br>No. 29. | MP Aaj Tak<br>- YouTube<br>channel | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC6IXoyHzqHtR9<br>We7D4iYSBA/featured | Disabled. |
| 23. | Defendant<br>No. 30 | Only Aaj Tak<br>- YouTube<br>channel | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB4PGmInXtrcc<br>OMWs4asc8Q | Disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 17 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| 24. | Defendant<br>No. 31 | Aaj Tak Hindi<br>- YouTube<br>channel | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5M6f4bVqMgF<br>KWYpg-qrv9A | Disabled. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25. | Defendant<br>No. 32 | Hindustan Aaj<br>Tak<br>- YouTube<br>channel | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvvcSxwbn1gyjb<br>8DgVPsUZQ | Disabled. |
| 26. | Defendant<br>No. 33 | AAJ TAK PK<br>- YouTube<br>channel | https://www.youtube.com/c/AAJTAKPK/featured | Disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 18 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
| 27. | Defendant<br>No. 34 | Sanchar<br>Aajtak News<br>- YouTube<br>channel | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCq66W9tGCoxg2<br>5kmAVHmBLA | Disabled. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28. | Defendant<br>No. 35 | M.आजतक<br>(M. Aajtak)<br>- YouTube<br>channel | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdmY-<br>mZL_Dm_Kf9Zx8XfIrA | Disabled. |
| 29. | Defendant<br>No. 36 | Aaj Tak<br>Haryana<br>- YouTube<br>channel | https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLOK8uyf8q1mn<br>SqpAv9nMoA | Disabled. |
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 19 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
6. Even Defendant No. 16- Hosting Concepts B.V. is stated to have
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complied with the order of suspension. Vide affidavit dated 25 July 2023,
the authorised signatory of Defendant No. 16 has deposed as under:
“4. On becoming aware of these orders, Hosting
Concepts immediately acted upon them by: (i)
suspending the domain names 'aajtaklive.in' and '
aajtak.org.in'; and (ii) sending an email dated
July 19, 2023 to the Plaintiff’s counsel, informing
them of the suspension of the two domain names.
A copy of the email dated July 19, 2023 sent by
Hosting Concepts to the Plaintiff's counsel is
annexed herewith and marked as Document-2. A
copy of the WHO IS details of the domain names
aajtaklive.in and aajtak.org.in, showing that these
domains have been suspended, is annexed herewith
and marked as Document-3”
7. In view of the above status report indicating that the use of the mark
‘AAJ TAK’ has been disabled on all channels, and the domain names have
been either suspended, locked or blocked, the suit shall stand decreed against
the Defendant Nos. 1, 2, 4, 9 to 12, 14, 15, 17, 18, 20 to 25 and 27 to 37. The
said Defendants are permanently restraining from using the mark ‘AAJ TAK’
or any other deceptively similar or identical mark, in any manner whatsoever
for media, news, entertainment, or any other similar services.
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 20 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48
8. Insofar as the DNRs are concerned, the DNRs/the platforms including
YouTube and Facebook shall continue keeping the infringing account
disabled. It is submitted by Ms. Shweta Sahu, ld. Counsel that some domain
names have already expired and already have been released. This statement is
taken on record and if any domain names have been so released and
subsequently registered through any other DNR, the DNR in the present suit
would no longer be responsible.
9. The application under Order XXXIX Rule 2A CPC being I.A
3065/2021 is no longer pressed and is accordingly disposed of.
10. The suit is decreed in the above terms. Let the decree sheet be drawn
up. All pending applications are also disposed of.
PRATHIBA M. SINGH
JUDGE
NOVEMBER 20, 2023
Rahul/dn
Signature Not Verified
CS(COMM) 395/2020 Page 21 of 21
Digitally Signed
By:DHIRENDER KUMAR
Signing Date:23.11.2023
12:57:48