Delhi High Court – Orders
T.V. Today Network Limited vs Google Llc & Ors on 20 June, 2025
Author: Prathiba M. Singh
Bench: Prathiba M. Singh
$~12
* IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI
+ CS(COMM) 634/2025
T.V. TODAY NETWORK LIMITED .....Plaintiff
Through: Mr. Hrishikesh Barua & Mr. Utkarsh
Dwivedi, Advs. along with Mr. Alman
Cleancy.
versus
GOOGLE LLC & ORS. .....Defendants
Through: Ms. Mamta R Jha, Mr. Rohan Ahuja,
Ms. Shrutima Ehersa, Mr. Rahul
Choudhary, Ms. Himani Sachdeva &
Ms. Devanshi Raj, Advs.
CORAM:
JUSTICE PRATHIBA M. SINGH
ORDER
% 20.06.2025
1. This hearing has been done through hybrid mode.
I.A. 14843/2025 (exemption)
2. This is an application filed by the Plaintiffs seeking exemption from
filing originals/certified/cleared/typed or translated copies of documents,
proper margins, electronic documents, etc. Original documents shall be
produced/filed at the time of Admission/Denial, if sought, strictly as per the
provisions of the Commercial Courts Act and the DHC (Original Side) Rules,
2018.
3. Exemption is allowed, in the above terms, subject to all just exceptions.
Accordingly, application is disposed of
I.A. 14845/2025 (exemption)
4. The present application has been filed by the Plaintiff, seeking
CS(COMM) 634/2025 Page 1 of 8
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exemption from filing complete Court fee.
5. Mr. Baruah submits that the Court fee has been received. Let the same
be deposited by 23rd June 2025.
6. The application is disposed of.
I.A. 14842/2025 (additional documents)
7. This is an application filed by the Plaintiffs seeking leave to file
additional documents under the Commercial Courts, Commercial Division
and Commercial Appellate Division of High Courts Act, 2015 (hereinafter,
‘Commercial Courts Act‘). The Plaintiffs, if it wishes to file additional
documents at a later stage, shall do so strictly as per the provisions of the
Commercial Courts Act, 2015 and the DHC (Original Side) Rules, 2018.
8. Application is disposed of
I.A. 14844/2025 (u/s 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015)
9. This is an application filed by the Plaintiffs seeking exemption
instituting pre-litigation mediation under Section 12A of the Commercial
Courts Act.
10. Since the Plaintiffs seek urgent interim orders as also in view of the
orders passed in Yamini Manohar v. T.K.D Keerthi, [(2024) 5 SCC 815], the
application is allowed and disposed of.
11. Accordingly, the exemption is allowed and application is disposed of.
I.A. 14846/2025 (exemption from serving D-2)
12. The present application has been filed on behalf of the Plaintiff seeking
exemption from serving the Defendant No. 2, on the ground that the Plaintiff
is not aware of the identity/address of the said Defendant.
13. In view of the fact that the Plaintiff is not aware of the address/identity
of the Defendant No.2, exemption from advance service to the Defendant
CS(COMM) 634/2025 Page 2 of 8
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No.2 is granted.
14. Application is disposed of.
CS(COMM) 634/2025
15. At the outset, ld. Counsel for the Plaintiff makes an oral request to
implead Ms. Anjana Om Kashyap, who is the Managing Editor in the Plaintiff
Company, as Plaintiff No.2.
16. Accordingly, on oral request of ld. Counsel for the Plaintiff, Ms. Anjana
Om Kashyap is impleaded as Plaintiff No.2.
17. Amended memo of parties be filed within one week. Let the plaint be
registered as a suit.
18. Issue summons to the Defendants through all modes upon filing of
Process Fee.
19. The summons to the Defendants shall indicate that the written
statement to the plaint shall be positively filed within 30 days from date of
receipt of summons. Along with the written statement, the Defendants shall
also file an affidavit of admission/denial of the documents of the Plaintiffs,
without which the written statement shall not be taken on record.
20. Liberty is given to the Plaintiffs to file the replication within 15 days of
the receipt of the written statement. Along with the replication, if any, filed
by the Plaintiffs, an affidavit of admission/denial of documents of the
Defendants, be filed by the Plaintiffs, without which the replication shall not
be taken on record. If any of the parties wish to seek inspection of any
documents, the same shall be sought and given within the timelines prescribed
under law.
21. List before the Roster Bench on 11th August 2025.
CS(COMM) 634/2025 Page 3 of 8
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I.A. 14841/2025 (u/O XXXIX Rules 1 & 2 CPC)
22. The present application has been filed on behalf of the Plaintiff-T.V.
Today Network Limited under Order XXXIX Rules 1 and 2 of the CPC inter
alia seeking grant of an ad interim injunction against the Defendants, thereby
restraining them from using news clipping, videos, deepfake impersonations,
etc. of Ms. Anjana Om Kashyap (hereinafter, the ‘Plaintiff No. 2’)
23. According to the Plaintiff, it is a leading pioneer media house in India,
engaged in the business of television broadcasting, digital media and
journalistic content creation. It is running various news channels, including,
Aajtak, India Today and Good News Today.
24. It is stated that the Plaintiff No. 2 is one of the celebrated names in the
media sector. She has been working as a Managing Editor (Special Projects)
in the Plaintiff company since 2012. According to the plaint, the Plaintiff No.
2 has a YouTube channel named as ‘@AnjanaomKashyap-AOK’ which has
about 39,300 subscribers. The said youtube page of the Plaintiff No. 2 is
extracted below for ready reference:
CS(COMM) 634/2025 Page 4 of 8
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25. It is the case of the Plaintiff that an unknown person/persons, arraigned
in the suit as Defendant No. 2 has started a YouTube channel under the name
of ‘@AnajanaomKashya’. The said platform uses the photograph of the
Plaintiff No. 2 as also various fake videos, including purported news clippings
etc., in a manner so as to depict that the same are of the Plaintiff No. 2.
However, the same do not belong to either of the Plaintiffs at all. Some
extracts of the pages, allegedly created by the Defendant No. 2 is extracted
below:-
CS(COMM) 634/2025 Page 5 of 8
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26. Mr. Baruah, ld. Counsel for the Plaintiff submits that this is a fake page
which is promoting itself on the reputation and goodwill of both the Plaintiffs.
By using a similar name and by creating fake videos involving the Plaintiff
No. 2, the personality rights of the Plaintiff no.2 are also affected and violated.
27. Issue notice. Ld. Counsel for the Respondents accepts notice.
28. The Court has considered the matter.
CS(COMM) 634/2025 Page 6 of 8
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29. A perusal of the YouTube pages would show that there is clearly a
difference between the YouTube page of the Plaintiff and that of the
Defendant No.2. Considering the identity of the Defendant No.2 with the
missing ‘P’ in the word ‘Kashyap’, it is clear that the same appears to be a
fake YouTube page.
30. Such fake YouTube pages or fake profiles being made using the
Plaintiffs’ goodwill, reputation and personality would be contrary to law. The
proliferation of fake youtube pages of a well known organisation or a
Personality could result in enormous damage and dissemination of
misinformation as the same would lack editorial control. Moreover, in the area
of news broadcasting, responsibility has to be taken by the broadcaster and
the anchor to ensure that incorrect or misleading news is not disseminated. If
fake Youtube pages using the name and image of the Plaintiff no.2 are allowed
to come up and be disseminated, the same would violate her personality rights.
Even if the content is original content, the same cannot be permitted to be
disseminated by anyone other than the Plaintiffs who own the Broadcast
Reproduction Rights in all their broadcasts. If the content is not genuine and
is fake or fabricated, the Plaintiff no.1 company could also be made
responsible for such fake news videos put up without its knowledge. It is also
common knowledge that youtube pages are created for earning revenues and
monetising the same. The use of the entire name of Plaintiff no.2, with just
the deletion of the letter `p’, as also the image, voice etc., for commercial
benefit is illegal and contrary to law.
31. Accordingly, the Plaintiffs have made out a prima facie case for ad
interim injunction. Considering the overall facts and circumstances as also the
fact that the identity of the Defendant No. 2 is unknown, it is directed as under:
CS(COMM) 634/2025 Page 7 of 8
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(i) Google LLC shall take down the impugned YouTube channel
‘@AnajanaomKashya’ which has been impugned in the present
suit within 48 hours.
(ii) The Basic Subscriber Information (‘BSI’) details of the
person who has put up this channel, shall be disclosed to the
Plaintiff within two weeks. Upon the said information being
received, the Plaintiff shall take steps to implead the said person/
entity itself.
(iii) The Defendant No. 1/ Google LLC shall also file an account
of whatever revenues, if any, which may have been paid to this
channel owner, within a period of four weeks.
32. In case any further YouTube pages or channels are identified by the
Plaintiffs, consisting a fake profile of Plaintiff No.2, the URL shall be
supplied by Defendant No.1 who shall take them down within 72 hours. If
Google LLC does not take down the infringing content or objects to taking
down the same for any reason, the reasons thereof shall be communicated to
the Plaintiffs and the Plaintiffs, are free to move an application before this
Court.
33. Compliance of Order XXXIX Rule 3 of CPC be done qua the person/
entity running the YouTube channel ‘@AnajanaomKashya’ within two weeks
after the details of the said person/ entity are received.
34. List before the Roster Bench on 11th August 2025.
PRATHIBA M. SINGH
(VACATION JUDGE)
JUNE 20, 2025/kk/rks
CS(COMM) 634/2025 Page 8 of 8
This is a digitally signed order.
The authenticity of the order can be re-verified from Delhi High Court Order Portal by scanning the QR code shown above.
The Order is downloaded from the DHC Server on 25/06/2025 at 21:29:05