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Netflix faces contempt for a 22-sec footage in 123 min docuseries; SC says HC has better things to do than draw contempt for this | India News
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NEW DELHI: Incorporating a 22 second footage from ‘Wild Karnataka’ documentary, barred by Karnataka HC to be telecast, in a 143-minute three-part docu-series ‘Life in Colour with David Attenborough’ has landed popular OTT platform Netflix, BBC, Discovery Communications and ITV Studios Global Distribution in a contempt of court proceedings.
The Karnataka High Court drew contempt proceedings for alleged violation of its interim orders passed on a PIL that had complained that those persons responsible for shooting ‘Wild Karnataka’ documentary had colluded with the state government functionaries and did not pay the consideration for filming the wildlife to the state exchequer.
The HC had on June 29, 2021, restrained the makers of ‘Wild Karnataka’ from “using, publishing, reproducing, broadcasting, telecasting, marketing, selling, distributing, and exhibiting or in any way dealing with the film ‘Wild Karnataka’, or its raw footage.”
It was found that David Attenborough anchored docuseries had 22-second footage of ‘Wild Karnataka’, which was procured from Icon Films a co-producer and distributor of ‘Wild Karnataka’. On finding the facts after receiving contempt notice, Netflix had suspended telecast of the Attenborough docu-series and later removed the 22-second footage from the docuseries.
In its plea before the Supreme Court through Pritha Srikumar Iyer, the OTT platform pleaded that it had acted with alacrity and removed the contentious 22-second footage from the docuseries. Hence, there is no willful disobedience of the HC order, it said challenging the HC decision to make it an accused in the contempt of court trial proceedings.
Before a bench of CJI D Y Chandrachud, and Justices J B Pardiwala and Satish Sharma, counsel Balaji Srinivasan, appearing for the PIL petitioners in the HC, said that the accused in contempt case have paid nothing to the Tiger Conservation Fund as promised by them apart from the dues to the state exchequer for filing the wildlife in Karnataka.
The CJI-led bench said that it would resolve the issue and asked Netflix and other accused to be prepared to contribute to the tiger conservation fund. “The HC has better things to do than draw contempt proceedings in such matters,” the CJI said.
The Karnataka High Court drew contempt proceedings for alleged violation of its interim orders passed on a PIL that had complained that those persons responsible for shooting ‘Wild Karnataka’ documentary had colluded with the state government functionaries and did not pay the consideration for filming the wildlife to the state exchequer.
The HC had on June 29, 2021, restrained the makers of ‘Wild Karnataka’ from “using, publishing, reproducing, broadcasting, telecasting, marketing, selling, distributing, and exhibiting or in any way dealing with the film ‘Wild Karnataka’, or its raw footage.”
It was found that David Attenborough anchored docuseries had 22-second footage of ‘Wild Karnataka’, which was procured from Icon Films a co-producer and distributor of ‘Wild Karnataka’. On finding the facts after receiving contempt notice, Netflix had suspended telecast of the Attenborough docu-series and later removed the 22-second footage from the docuseries.
In its plea before the Supreme Court through Pritha Srikumar Iyer, the OTT platform pleaded that it had acted with alacrity and removed the contentious 22-second footage from the docuseries. Hence, there is no willful disobedience of the HC order, it said challenging the HC decision to make it an accused in the contempt of court trial proceedings.
Before a bench of CJI D Y Chandrachud, and Justices J B Pardiwala and Satish Sharma, counsel Balaji Srinivasan, appearing for the PIL petitioners in the HC, said that the accused in contempt case have paid nothing to the Tiger Conservation Fund as promised by them apart from the dues to the state exchequer for filing the wildlife in Karnataka.
The CJI-led bench said that it would resolve the issue and asked Netflix and other accused to be prepared to contribute to the tiger conservation fund. “The HC has better things to do than draw contempt proceedings in such matters,” the CJI said.
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