The Bombay High Court has declined to issue a directive to Netflix to remove the ‘Scoop’ series. Chhotta Rajan requested that the defendants in the case refrain from exploiting his name, image, and personality.
In a recent legal matter, the Bombay High Court has declined to issue a directive to the OTT platform Netflix to remove the ‘Scoop’ series, which was the subject of an intellectual property dispute brought by the notorious gangster Chhota Rajan.
Justice Shivkumar Dige has stated that the court will review the matter later, as the aforementioned series has been released.
Chhota Rajan has been granted permission by the court to revise his lawsuit to demonstrate its relevance to intellectual property rights. The case has been scheduled for additional review on Wednesday.
Despite Rajan’s plea to halt the release of the series, ‘Scoop’ has been made available on Netflix now.
It was reported that Senior Advocate Mihir Desai has argued on behalf of Rajan that he holds the copyright to his image. The individual in question has expressed concern regarding the public dissemination of potentially incriminating information. Celebrities are entitled to certain legal rights. A celebrity may not necessarily be limited to individuals known for their work in the Bollywood industry, but may also include those who have gained fame through other means. A significant number of individuals are expected to view it. Desai contended that it would have an impact on their appeal.
Senior Advocate Ravi Kadam representing the OTT platform Netflix and Advocate Hiren Kamod have contended that the suit is not maintainable. The defendant requested that the plaintiff view the series prior to responding and requested an extension to submit their reply.
The plaintiff was granted permission to amend their claim by the court, and the defendants were given a specific time frame to respond. The case has been adjourned until Wednesday.
Rajan, along with 9 others, has been convicted for the murder of crime reporter Jyotirmay Dey, who was shot in 2011, and is currently behind bars in Tihar Jail. Jigna Vora, a journalist and co-accused of Rajan, has been acquitted. A legal news report states that the Netflix series is based on Vora’s memoir titled ‘Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison’.
As per Rajan’s complaint, the trailer of the series allegedly contains multiple allusions to his name, likeness, and alleged vocalizations, depicting him as the primary instigator in the demise of Dey. In a legal complaint, Rajan has alleged that the trailer’s contents are inaccurate, deceptive, and misleading. He further claims that the producers aimed to generate hype and financial gain by exploiting his name and likeness.
Rajan has requested that the trailer be removed from Netflix and any other platform, and that the defendants refrain from exploiting his name, image, and personality or making any reference to him, as well as that the defendants refrain from publishing the web-series and its trailers on Netflix, theaters, or any other platform. He has also requested Re. 1/- in damages and an unqualified apology published in a prominent newspaper, stating that the filmmakers utilized his picture, personality, and reputation without proof or his authorization.
