Legal action against piracy for IPL 2026.
The Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to JioStar India, issuing orders to block illegal streaming of the upcoming IPL 2026 tournament. The ruling aims to protect JioStar’s exclusive digital and broadcast rights, acquired through Viacom18.
In two separate orders dated March 25, the court issued ex parte ad interim injunctions against rogue websites and Android-based apps accused of pirating IPL content. The tournament is scheduled from March 28 to May 31 and includes 84 matches.
The court noted that JioStar holds exclusive digital and broadcast rights for the IPL from 2023 to 2027, which were approved by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Unauthorized streaming would infringe these rights and lead to revenue loss, the court stated.
The injunctions target websites like daddylives.nl and Android apps including Abbasi TV, CricFY TV, RTS TV, CricPK, and HD Streamz, which distribute pirated streams via APK files. The court’s “dynamic injunction” allows JioStar to flag new infringing websites during the IPL, enabling quick blocking by domain registrars and internet service providers.
For mobile apps, a “dynamic+” injunction covers existing apps, future versions, mirror links, and similar platforms. Domain registrars are directed to suspend infringing domains and share registrant information, payment data, and KYC records. Internet service providers must block access to identified platforms within strict timelines, sometimes within 36 hours.
The Department of Telecommunications and MeitY have been asked to issue notifications to ensure compliance. The IPL media rights for the 2023–2027 cycle were sold for ₹48,390 Cr, with Viacom18 (Jio) securing digital streaming rights for ₹20,500 Cr, plus an additional ₹3,273 Cr for exclusive digital packages.
In a related development, the Delhi High Court recently ordered the blocking of 21 domains linked to fake fantasy gaming apps copying Dream11’s branding.
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