YouTuber Mohak Mangal seeks consolidation of suits as ANI alleges IP infringement
The matter, titled Mohak Mangal vs ANI & Ors, was heard by Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani, who directed that the plea for transfer and consolidation of cases be placed before the IPD bench.
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The Delhi High Court on Monday referred a plea by YouTuber Mohak Mangal to its Intellectual Property Division (IPD), seeking transfer of a copyright and trademark infringement suit filed by news agency ANI from the district court to the High Court.
The matter, titled Mohak Mangal vs ANI & Ors, was heard by Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani, who directed that the plea for transfer and consolidation of cases be placed before the IPD bench. The Court noted that since the dispute pertains to the use of ANI's intellectual property, it squarely falls within the IPD's jurisdiction.
“It transpires that the matter relates to use of intellectual property of ANI. Rule 26 of IPD Rules provides that a petition seeking consolidation or transfer may be decided by coordinate bench in the IP Division. Since transfer and consolidation are two sides of the same coin and conflicting rulings could be discordant, list the matter before the concerned IPD bench,” the Court stated.
The matter will now be heard by the IPD bench on July 25.
ANI has initiated two separate legal actions against Mangal:
Defamation Suit at High Court: ANI has accused Mangal of making defamatory and disparaging remarks. In particular, the agency has taken objection to Mangal’s claim that ANI’s copyright strikes on YouTube and its demand for licensing fees amounted to extortion. On May 29, Mangal agreed to remove the objectionable references from his video.
Infringement Suit at District Court: In the suit pending before the trial court — whose transfer is being sought — ANI has alleged unauthorized use and reproduction of ten of its news videos by Mangal. The agency has also claimed that its logo was used without permission.
ANI is seeking a permanent and mandatory injunction, along with ₹50 lakh in damages for alleged copyright infringement, piracy, plagiarism, and unjust enrichment.
Appearing for Mangal, Senior Advocate Diya Kapur, along with advocates Nakul Gandhi, Mujeeb, and Tanish Gupta, argued that the use of ANI's footage was protected under the doctrine of "fair use."
Representing ANI, Advocate Sidhant Kumar submitted that the IP Division was already handling related aspects of the matter and that interim injunctions had been granted in the case.
The legal tussle between a prominent YouTuber and a leading news agency raises important questions about copyright enforcement, journalistic content sharing on digital platforms, and the limits of fair use in India’s evolving digital media landscape.
