FIR lodged against ICC, BCCI over World Cup songs

Nearly five months after Yash Raj Films slapped notices to the ICC, MCA, and BCCI through its distributor company, Novex Communications, for playing songs from its Bollywood films, an FIR has been registered at the Marine Drive Police station.

Upendra Jalgaonkar, manager at Novex Communications, the authorised agency for issuing licences for use of YRF film songs and promos at public events, registered the FIR (copy available with MiD DAY) under section 63, 69 of Copyright Act on Monday.

"We have registered an FIR against Dhiraj Malhotra, Ratnakar Shetty, Hemant Waigankar, Lalchand Rajput, Haroon Lorgat and others in Marine Drive police station," said Anurag Parmar, vice president Novex communication.

Confirming this, senior inspector Z M Gharal of Marine Drive police station said, "We are investigating the matter."

According to the complaint, the organising body at the Wankhede stadium had played audio clips from YRF's popular films, such as Band Baaja Baarat and Chak De India, during the league phase and the finals of the 2011 World Cup.

On April 15, 2011, MiD DAY had reported how cops at Marine Drive police station had to watch replays of the World Cup final to count the number of times the songs were played (in violation) during the match.

The case so far

The tug-of-war between YRF and the cricketing bodies began on Feb 25, 2011, when Novex communication informed Dhiraj Malhotra, joint secretary ICC, through an email that the ICC would have to seek the necessary licences to play audio clips from YRF.

Then on March 22, 2011, Novex communication also sent letters to MCA's Ratnakar Shetty, Hemant Waigankar and Lalchand Rajput on the matter.

Unhappy with the response from MCA and ICC, YRF issued legal notices to them shortly after the World Cup final on April 2, 2011 demanding Rs 25 lakh.