Block Congress and Bharat Jodo Yatra's accounts, Bengaluru court directs Twitter

An FIR was registered at the Yashwanthpur police station under the provisions of the Copyright Act, the Information Technology Act, and the Indian Penal Code. In the complaint filed, it was alleged that Rahul Gandhi-led yatra took songs from KGF-2.

The court has ordered Twitter to take down tweets posted by Congress handles with the songs attached and temporarily block Congress and Bharat Jodo Yatra Twitter handles.

A Bengaluru court on Monday ordered Twitter to temporarily block the accounts of Congress and Bharat Jodo Yatra for allegedly infringing the statutory copyright owned by MRT Music. The order came on a plea that alleged that the party had used songs from the Kannada blockbuster KGF 2 in a video for Rahul Gandhi.
The video was shared on Congress and Bharat Jodo Yatra's Twitter accounts.

On November 4, MRT music manager, M Naveen Kumar filed a complaint against three Congress leaders namely Jairam Ramesh and Supriya Shrinate, and Rahul Gandhi for allegedly using music from the superhit Kannada film KGF-2. According to the complaint filed, this act violated copyright laws during the Bharat Jodo Yatra that was taken out across Karnataka.

The FIR was registered at the Yashwanthpur police station under the provisions of the Copyright Act, the Information Technology Act, and the Indian Penal Code.
In the complaint filed, it was alleged that Rahul Gandhi-led yatra took songs from KGF-2.

The Congress party said that it was not aware of the court proceedings and hasn't got any copy of the order. "We have read on social media about an adverse order from a Bengaluru court against INC and BJY SM handles. We were neither made aware of nor present at court proceedings. No copy of the order has been received. We are pursuing all the legal remedies at our disposal," the Congress party tweeted.

We have read on social media about an adverse order from a Bengaluru court against INC & BJY SM handles.

We were neither made aware of nor present at court proceedings. No copy of the order has been received.

We are pursuing all the legal remedies at our disposal.
— Congress (@INCIndia) November 7, 2022

After going through the complaint, the court has ordered Twitter to take down tweets posted by Congress handles with the songs attached and temporarily block Congress and Bharat Jodo Yatra Twitter handles. The court has even asked the defendants to not “unauthorisedly and illegally” use the plaintiff’s copyrighted work till the next date of hearing. Also, a commissioner has to be appointed “to inspect and conduct a necessary electronic audit and also to seize or preserve the infringing material".

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Published on: Nov 08, 2022, 3:58 PM IST

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