HC directs RCV to file counter within a week

Chennai, Sep 3 (UNI) Madras High Court has directed the Royal Cable Vision (RCV) to file its counter on a civil suit filed by Sun TV Network Limited within a week.

When the matter came up before Justice M Jeyapaul, Counsel for RCV took notice. The Judge posted the matter to September eight for filing of counter.

Sun TV had sought a permanent injunction to restrain the RCV, Madurai, owned by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's son M K Azhagiri from illegally tapping signals and transmitting them to its subscribers. It also prayed for a decree of damages of Rs 10 lakh against the defendant.

In its plaint, the television channel submitted that RCV was transmitting programmes aired on Sun TV channels in households that had not subscribed for the same.

Since RCV had not entered into any subscription agreement and not paid the charges to the plaintiff, it was clearly not permitted to tap signals. The capturing of the signals amounted to theft, besides violating the exclusive right of Sun TV to distribute various programmes, including motion pictures.

While tapping Sun TV's signals, RCV was not only committing theft of signals, but also infringing on the channel's copyright and broadcasting rights over various films and teleserials.

The channel also sought a direction appointing Advocate-Commissioners to identify cable operators who were receiving signals of Sun TV, KTV, Sun Music and Sun News without authorisation and transmitting them to their customers.

UNI XR SJ SB SSC1027