The plaintiff, Sony Pictures Animation Inc., filed a case against the defendants, FLIXHD.CC/ and others, alleging that the movie "SpiderMan: Across The Spider-Verse" was being made available for viewing on various websites without authorization. The plaintiff, as the copyright holder of the film, claimed that it had not licensed the right to broadcast or communicate the film to any other websites except its own.

The plaintiff sought a permanent injunction against the defendant websites from posting, streaming, distributing, or making the film available to the public. The plaintiff also requested internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to the infringing websites and for notifications to be issued to internet and telecom service providers to block access to the websites.

Case Citation: CS(COMM) 366/2023
Court: High Court of Delhi, New Delhi
Date of Decision: May 29, 2023

Procedural History:
The plaintiff filed the suit seeking a permanent injunction against the defendant websites. The court found that the websites qualified as "rogue websites" based on a previous judgment. The court registered the suit and issued summons. The plaintiff also filed an application for interlocutory injunctive reliefs, which was granted ex-parte, restraining the defendants from infringing the plaintiff's copyright. The court also directed ISPs to block access to the infringing websites and issued notifications to internet and telecom service providers to block access as well.

Issue( Presented:
Whether the defendant websites were infringing the plaintiff's copyright by making the film "SpiderMan: Across The Spider-Verse" available to the public without authorization?
Whether the plaintiff was entitled to permanent injunction and other injunctive reliefs against the defendant websites?

Rule(s) of Law:
Copyright law: Unauthorized distribution, broadcasting, or communication of a copyrighted work to the public is an infringement of the copyright holder's rights.
Code of Civil Procedure, 1908: Provides for the grant of injunctions and other reliefs in civil suits.

Analysis and Reasoning:
The court analyzed the facts of the case and found that the defendant websites were making the film "SpiderMan: Across The Spider-Verse" available to the public without authorization, which amounted to copyright infringement. The court relied on a previous judgment that defined "rogue websites" and concluded that the defendant websites qualified as such. Therefore, the court found that the plaintiff was entitled to ex-parte interim relief in the form of a restraining order against the defendants.

Holding and Decision:
The court held that the plaintiff was entitled to a permanent injunction and other injunctive reliefs against the defendant websites. The court issued a restraining order against the defendants, directed ISPs to block access to the infringing websites, and ordered notifications to be issued to internet and telecom service providers to block access as well.

Implications and Significance:
This decision reaffirms the court's stance against copyright infringement and the protection of intellectual property rights. It sets a precedent for granting injunctive reliefs to copyright holders in cases where rogue websites are involved. The decision emphasizes the court's commitment to curbing online piracy and protecting the rights of copyright holders.

Conclusion:
The High Court of Delhi granted a permanent injunction and other injunctive reliefs to the plaintiff, Sony Pictures Animation Inc., against the defendant websites for infringing the copyright of the film "SpiderMan: Across The Spider-Verse." The court's decision strengthens the protection of intellectual property rights and demonstrates its commitment to combatting online piracy.