Mumbai: The U.S. court has ordered Jadoo TV, a South Asian pirate IPTV service, to cease operations worldwide by December 22, 2024. This ruling follows a protracted legal battle initiated in November 2018 by pay TV operator Dish Network, which accused Jadoo TV of distributing pirated South Asian content through its set-top boxes and mobile application.
Jadoo TV, which had gained notoriety for providing illegal access to a range of South Asian content, particularly within the U.S. and Canada, has been a longstanding target for broadcasters and content providers. Despite multiple attempts to shut down the service, the company continued its operations until now.
The final judgment, announced by the International Broadcaster Coalition Against Piracy (IBCAP) yesterday, mandates that Jadoo TV and its U.S.-based CEO, Sajid Sohail, pay a total of $24,969,911 in damages. The court granted a permanent injunction against Jadoo TV, barring the company and Sohail from further involvement in illegal streaming activities. Jadoo TV and Sohail also agreed to a settlement that requires them to transfer customer lists, trademarks, and domain names to Dish Network, as well as pay an additional $1.5 million by February 2025.
In the earlier stages of the case, the court had already granted summary judgment in favor of Dish Network, ruling that Jadoo TV and Sohail were liable for both direct and contributory copyright infringement. The court emphasized that Sohail, as the key figure behind Jadoo TV’s operations, was personally responsible for the infringement of IBCAP member works.
The court’s decision not only includes significant damages for registered works ($14.55 million) but also includes a substantial monetary award for unregistered works ($10.42 million). This ruling marks a turning point in the ongoing fight against pirated IPTV services that have plagued the entertainment industry.
“This final judgment and settlement marks the culmination of a six-year legal battle against one of the most popular South Asian services offering pirated content, Jadoo TV, and its CEO, who was found personally liable for the damages caused by his and his company’s copyright infringement,” said Chris Kuelling, Executive Director of IBCAP. “Today’s announcement sends a strong message that the end of the road for a pirate IPTV service is a significant monetary payment and loss of your entire business.”
The lawsuit was filed by Dish Network after several copyright infringement notices failed to stop Jadoo TV’s operations, which included widespread availability of Jadoo set-top boxes in retail stores and online platforms in South Asian communities across North America.
The case was coordinated by IBCAP, with evidence obtained from the IBCAP lab, and the prosecution of the case was led by Dish’s outside litigation counsel, Hagan Noll & Boyle, LLC.
