Supreme Court quashes copyright case against Sujoy Ghosh. Filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh got a huge relief when the Supreme Court quashed the copyright case against him with regards to Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh.
The Bench was hearing a Special Leave Petition filed by Director Sujoy Ghosh challenging the decision of the Jharkhand High Court, which dismissed a petition seeking to quash criminal proceedings initiated against him. The case involved allegations of copyright infringement related to his film Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh.
The Bench of Justice PS Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe ordered, "The Summoning order passed by the CJM dated...and the High Court dated... are quashed and set aside. The Proceedings in the complaint case no....pending before CJM, Hazaribagh is quashed and set aside. Accordingly, the Petition is allowed."
The High Court earlier ordered "Now coming to the facts of the case, there is direct and specific allegation against the petitioner that the petitioner has knowingly infringed the copyright in a work of the complainant. The complainant wrote the script of a film, got the copyright of the same but in the process of making the copyright, in order to get the recommendation from the film producer organization of the petitioner, gave a copy of his script to the petitioner, and though the petitioner assured that the complainant that whenever the petitioner will make a film, on the script of the complainant, he will call the complainant but behind his back has produced a film by using the script of the complainant. The veracity of such statement, is certainly is to be tested at the time to trial but at the stage of issuing the process when accused has no right to take part, the limited role of Magistrate in putting questions to the complainant and the witnesses, has been discharged by the learned Chief Judicial Magistrate in this case, by putting questions to both the complainant while recording his statement under Solemn Affirmation as well as putting question to the Enquiry Witnesses."