NEW DELHI: Delhi High Court Monday restrained all cable operators from unauthorised telecast of the ICC Cricket World Cup matches on their cable networks.

The order came on a suit for permanent injunction filed by ESPN Software India (ESIPL), the exlusive telecast rights holder of the World Cup.
 
ESIPL in its suit before the Court claimed that the defendants - approximately 144 cable operators - were unauthorisedly taking connections and accessing signals of the plaintiff without taking license from the company.

After this order, anyone broadcasting ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 matches through any unauthorised means or any other channel will be held in contempt of court and liable for prosecution.

The Court has also permitted ESIPL to take action against all other cable operators not party to the suit but who are found to be unauthorisedly utilising the feed of ESPN, STAR Sports and Star Cricket without license.

ESIPL VP -Affiliate Sales T Panesar said, "The High Court has made it clear that piracy will not be tolerated. We will have a team of observers across the country to ensure that piracy does not happen and in case we spot any, we will align with the police to bring the guilty to the book." 
 
The Court, prima facie satisfied by the material disclosed to it by ESIPL, restrained the 144 named cable operators from transmitting and/or telecasting in any manner whatsoever without license from ESS the telecast of ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

The cable operators have been restrained from telecasting/transmitting any other channel or in any other manner infringing the copyright/re-broadcast right of ESPN Star Sports.

The Court has directed the concerned police authorities to render all assistance to ESIPL to enforce the order of injunction.