In
a relief to makers of Kannada movie Kantara,
the Supreme Court on Friday stayed the bail condition imposed by Kerala
High Court restraining the use of the song Varaha Roopam in
the movie.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud
and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala stayed the condition imposed by
the High Court on Thursday while granting anticipatory bail to Rishab Shetty
and Vijay Kiragandur, the director and the producer, respectively, of the
movie.
The CJI said, “The HC feels very strongly that you
people have plagiarised somebody’s song. But you can’t decide copyright suit in
an anticipatory bail.”
The apex court ordered that Rishab Shetty and Vijay
Kiragandur will not be arrested when they show up for questioning on February
12 and 13 in connection with the copyright infringement probe over the song
Varaha Roopam.
"The petitioner shall be present before the
Investigating Officer on February 12 and 13. In the event he is arrested, he
shall be released on bail forthwith subject to conditions on trial court,"
the apex court said.
Kerala-based music band Thaikkudam Bridge had, on
October 25, 2022, accused the makers of plagiarism and copyright infringement.
The band took to social media to claim that there were similarities between Varaha Roopam--the song from Kantara--and their 2017
track Navarasam. On a complaint, the police had also
registered an FIR under the Copyright Act against the makers.