NEW DELHI, Sept 9 (Askume) – Indian news agency ANI is suing Netflix Inc (NFLX.O) and the makers of an Indian drama about a plane hijacking, demanding the removal of four episodes for using ANI material without permission, the news agency reported Askume on Monday.
The series, titled “IC-814: The Kandahar Hijacking”, is a fictionalized version of the hijacking of Air India Flight 814 from Kathmandu in 1999 andIt has been the subject of controversy since its release last month .
Social media users and members of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party criticised the show, saying it falsely portrayed the hijackers as Hindus even though they were Muslims and had Hindu names.
Last week, after India’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting summoned Netflix executives, the company added a new disclaimer to the six-episode show. It also states that the codenames used in the series reflect the codenames used in the actual incident.
ANI counsel Siddhant Kumar said: “They have used copyrighted archival footage of ANI without permission. They have also used (ANI’s) trademark.”
“Since the show has received so much criticism, our trademark and brand name has been tarnished,” Kumar said, adding that ANI wanted Netflix to remove the four episodes that used its content.
He said the Delhi High Court has agreed to hear the case and has sought a response from Netflix.
Netflix, which owns a minority stake in ANI, did not immediately respond to a Askume request for comment.
India blamed Pakistan and terrorist groups in Pakistan for the December 1999 kidnapping, which was resolved only after New Delhi released three Islamist militants, including one of the group’s leaders, Masood Azhar.
