CHENNAI : The Madras High Court has restrained Sony Music Entertainment India Pvt Limited in Mumbai from exploiting the sound recordings in digital and other electronic platforms of songs of 17 Tamil feature films, including Villan, Vaali, Vanjinathan and Citizen.Justice M Sundar granted the injunction while passing interim orders on an application arising out of civil suit from S Khaja Mohideen, proprietor of city-based Bayshore Records, last week.
As it prima facie came to light that the plaintiff had acquired suit copy right prior to the defendant (Sony Music), that too, from the producers of the 17 cinematograph films, this court is convinced that plaintiff has made out a prima facie case for interim order of injunction, the judge said.
Earlier, Mohideen submitted that he had acquired the copyrights of the Tamil films, more particularly the audio copyrights of the 17 films and had been exploiting the rights acquired, by airing the songs through digital and other electronic platforms. While so, Sony Music exploited the digital rights through Wynk Music, Gaana, Think Music and YouTube.
He approached Sony Music, asking it to stop infringing on his exclusive rights. As Sony did not oblige, he issued a legal notice to it in January. But Sony was going ahead despite the ‘cease and desist’ notice. Hence the present suit, Mohideen said.Under Sec. 55 and 62 of the Indian Copyright Act, he was entitled to a permanent injunction restraining Sony and others from infringing on his copyrights, petitioner said.
Legal notice
Mohideen approached Sony Music, asking it to stop infringing on his exclusive rights. As Sony did not oblige, he issued a legal notice to it in January. But it was going ahead despite the ‘cease and desist’ notice