HC brakes on DU photocopy shop

The high court has restrained a photocopier on the Delhi University campus from issuing copies of chapters from textbooks published by three international publishers who have alleged copyright violation.

"The defendant (Rameshwari Photocopy Service) is restrained from making or selling course packs and also reproducing the plaintiff's publication or substantial portion by compiling the same either in a book form or in the form of a course pack, till the final disposal of the said application," Justice Kailash Gambhir said.

The order came after DU on October 18 assured the court that it would take steps to prevent rights infringement.

"The photocopier is running its shop under licence from university. Photocopier has no right to compile such course packs and books/articles published by the plaintiffs and more so, when the university has taken a stand that that they have no intention to breach any law by making such reproductions as complained of by the plaintiff in the present suit," said the judge.

The University Press, Cambridge University Press and Taylor & Francis had on August 14 moved the court against the photocopy shop and Delhi University accusing them of infringing copyright laws.

The court also took into consideration the fact that a commissioner appointed by the court had seized the course packs and certain books from the photocopy shop which contained photocopied articles for different courses.

Publishers alleged the photocopier had the support of DU in their "illegal business". But DU sought to distance itself from the row and clarified it had nothing to do with the photocopy shop.