SC quashes copyright case against filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh over his 'Kahaani 2' film

NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday quashed the proceedings pending before a Jharkhand court against filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh in an alleged copyright infringement case over his movie 'Kahaani 2'.

A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe allowed Ghosh's plea, challenging a Jharkhand High Court's order (dated April 22, 2025), which had refused to quash the proceedings pending against him.

"The summoning order dated June 7, 2018 passed by the CJM (Chief Judicial Magistrate) and order dated April 22, 2025 passed by the high court are quashed and set aside," the bench said, while allowing Ghosh's plea.

In July last year, the top court issued notice to the Jharkhand government on Ghosh's plea to quash the case pending before the court of CJM, Hazaribagh.

The filmmaker had moved the high court against the CJM court's order holding a prima facie case of copyright infringement against him under Section 63 of the Copyright Act, 1957.

The high court dismissed Ghosh's plea, observing it would not conduct a "mini-trial" at the quashing stage, and the issues could be tested during trial.

The complainant, Umesh Prasad Mehta, had written a script for the film "Sabak" which was certified by the Notary Public of Hazaribagh for obtaining its copyright.

It was alleged that the complainant met Ghosh and obtained a recommendation letter, which was essential for obtaining the copyright of a film script.

Ghosh allegedly kept a photocopy of the script of the complainant and knowingly infringed the copyright of the complainant by producing a film 'Kahani 2'.

The film was watched by the complainant in a film hub at Hazaribagh.

After watching the film, the complainant alleged that Ghosh violated his copyright by committing theft of his script and infringed its copyright.