Chinese'cyber pirates' leave T-Series sleepless

It takes just a press of a button to spoil reputations on the info-highway. And a music company here realised this after facing embarrassment due to two Chinese “cyber pirates” who launched a pornographic website identical to its name.

The two Chinese “cyber pirates” and a US company, which promoted the site have now been told by the Delhi High Court to shell out Rs 5 lakh damages to T-Series music company.

The Court also restrained them from using the name ‘supercassettes’ for their pornographic website, a decision which has sought to punish the new-age crime that spans across territorial boundaries.

Justice R S Endlaw passed the order on a petition filed by Super Cassettes Industries Ltd, seeking a compensation from the cyber pirates, Wang Zhi Zhu Ce Yong Hu and Ying ter Wang Ju Le Bu, in whose name the domain name Supercassettes.Com was registered. The US company responsible for promoting the site was also made a party.

The music company contended that the website, dealing in adult and pornographic images, was inimical to its corporate image, goodwill and reputation and sought damages of Rs 25 lakh from them.

The court after hearing the contention of the company, passed an ex-parte order as the Chinese nationals and a US-based company ICL Ltd which was behind the impugned domain name failed to appear before it.

“A decree for damages in the sum of Rs 5 lakh is passed in favour of the plaintiff (T-Series) and against the defendants (Chinese nationals and US company) jointly and severally. The company shall also be entitled to costs of the suit from the defendants,” Justice R S Endlaw said.

The court had earlier passed an interim order on July 23, 2004, restraining them from using the domain name. The domain name supercassettes.Com was created on September 27, 2003, but it expired on September 27, 2004, after the court passed the interim order.

Initially, the music company had approached the court against the Chinese nationals, but it also impleaded the US company later, after being informed that ICL Ltd was behind promoting the website.