California Court Rules Jadoo TV, Owner Guilty Of Copyright Infringement

India-West News Desk

DENVER, CO – The International Broadcaster Coalition Against Piracy (IBCAP) on June 15 said that a federal court in California has granted summary judgment on all claims in an IBCAP coordinated lawsuit against Jadoo TV, Inc., and its US based CEO, Sajid Sohail, finding them liable for direct, contributory and vicarious copyright infringement.

The case was brought by DISH Network in 2018 after DISH and IBCAP sent numerous notices of copyright infringement. The lawsuit included claims for direct, contributory, and vicarious infringement against Jadoo TV for airing content to which it did not have rights.

The lawsuit also included claims against Sajid Sohail individually on the basis that as the founder, CEO, and majority shareholder of Jadoo TV, and participant and supervisor of the infringing conduct, Sohail should be held personally liable for the infringement by Jadoo TV and its employees.

In a ruling issued June 13, 2023, the United States District Court for the Northern District of California granted all claims asserted by DISH against Jadoo TV and denied Sohail’s motion as to all claims.

The Court further found that because Sohail was the “guiding spirit” behind the infringement, had the “principal decision-making authority as to responding to infringement notices,” was the founder, CEO, director, and majority shareholder, and had the ability to unilaterally change company policy, he is personally liable for the infringement. Instead of implementing simple measures to prevent infringement, Sohail was the “active and conscious force behind the infringing products.” The Court ordered additional briefing related to damages to be submitted within 45 days.

At the time of the filing of the lawsuit in 2018, Jadoo TV was one of the most popular providers of South Asian content in the U.S. and elsewhere, distributing its service through “Jadoo TV” set-top boxes and through its mobile application. The Jadoo TV set-top boxes were widely available online and in retail stores throughout South Asian communities in the U.S., Canada, and worldwide, IBCAP pointed out in a press release.