Top Indian Music Labels Saregama, T-Series, and Sony have sued OpenAI, alleging unauthorized use of their sound recordings by Microsoft-backed Open AI, reflecting challenges posed to India’s music business.

They say this threatens copyright and their revenue, as they rely on licensing fees and royalties.

This follows a lawsuit by Indian news agency ANI, which accused OpenAI of using its content without consent. Other media groups and book publishers have also sued OpenAI.

Experts warn that AI-generated music trained on copyrighted songs could harm original artists. Bharadwaj Jaishankar of IndusLaw says it may reduce opportunities for musicians. Zubin Morris of Little & Co. adds that artists have not agreed to AI training, which affects their fair compensation for creators.

The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has renewed its call for Google to sell its Chrome browser, following a 2024 court ruling that found Google illegally maintained a search monopoly.

In a recent court filing, the DOJ urged Judge Amit P. Mehta to enforce the sale of Chrome and prohibit Google from engaging in anti-competitive practices.

The DOJ argues that Google's exclusive agreements with companies like Apple and smartphone manufacturers have harmed competition, preventing smaller search engines from thriving.

The government also seeks to ban such exclusive deals and require Google to share search data with rivals for a decade.

Google plans to appeal, arguing that the proposal threatens security and innovation. Judge Mehta will hear arguments in April 2025

The Calcutta High Court ruled that an arbitration agreement remains valid even if it does not specify the applicable law, seat, or venue, as long as there is a clear intent to refer disputes to a private tribunal.

The case involved a dispute over payments under a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for a government project.

The respondent argued the clause was invalid due to missing details, but the court held that the absence of specifics does not negate arbitration if parties intended to resolve disputes privately.

The court also disqualified the named arbitrator for being an interested party and appointed an independent arbitrator to resolve the dispute.

Vanuatu’s Prime Minister, Jotham Napat, has ordered the cancellation of fugitive businessman Lalit Modi’s Vanuatu passport, stating he was attempting to evade extradition.

This comes after Modi applied to surrender his Indian passport at the High Commission of India in London.

Napat emphasised that Vanuatu citizenship is a "privilege, not a right," and must be obtained for legitimate reasons.

Modi, the founder of IPL, faces allegations of violating FEMA, bid-rigging, and money laundering. Despite the cancellation order, he posted on social media, calling Vanuatu a “bucket list” destination.

The Supreme Court declined to hear a plea challenging Andhra Pradesh and Telangana’s decision to allow Muslim employees to leave work an hour early during Ramzan.

A bench led by Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna directed the petitioner to approach the respective high courts under Article 226.

Senior advocate Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing the petitioner, challenged the circulars issued by both governments.

The court made it clear it would not entertain the plea, prompting the petitioner to withdraw it with the liberty to move the high courts.

The Telangana and Andhra Pradesh governments had permitted early departure for Muslim employees from March 2 to March 30.

The Delhi High Court issued a permanent injunction in favor of Chotiwala Food And Hotels Pvt. Ltd., restraining three Delhi-based restaurants from using the ‘Chotiwala’ name and trademark.

The Rishikesh-based restaurant, established in 1958, sued after discovering fake Chotiwala listings which misled customers.

Justice Amit Bansal ruled that ‘Chotiwala’ had acquired secondary meaning, proving malafide intent by defendants.

The court also directed food aggregators to remove fraudulent listings and imposed ₹3 lakh in damages. 

The Delhi High Court ruled that touching a minor girl’s lips or lying next to her without sexual intention, does not amount to “aggravated sexual assault” under Section 10 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences(POCSO) Act.

A man accused of touching and pressing his 12-year-old niece’s lips challenged the trial court charges. The HC noted it may fall under Section 354 of the (IPC) - outraging a woman's modesty.

The court ruled that while the acts may violate her dignity and outrage her modesty, the absence of overt or inferred sexual intent justified prosecution under Section 354 of IPC.

The Karnataka High Court ruled that an arbitration clause cannot be invoked for matters already adjudicated by both the Arbitral Tribunal and the judiciary.

The case involved a lease dispute where the Petitioner sought arbitration after the lease termination was upheld by courts, including the Supreme Court.

The court held that arbitration was not an available recourse as the dispute had reached finality. It emphasized that the Petitioner could seek relief only through a competent civil court.

Dismissing the petition, the court concluded that fresh arbitral proceedings on the same grounds were legally impermissible and fundamentally misconceived.

Ministry of External Affairs confirmed that Lalit Modi applied for surrender of his passport at the High Commission of India in London and acquired citizenship of Vanuatu. 

Lalit Modi is accused of violating the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999(FEMA), bid-rigging, and money laundering. Lalit was involved in the embezzlement of crores of rupees during his tenure as the boss of the Indian Premier League.

The Ministry of External Affairs assured that all cases against him are being pursued legally and that his application will be reviewed per the rules and regulations.

The Madhya Pradesh High Court ruled that compelling a wife to discontinue her education amounts to mental cruelty and is a valid ground for divorce under Section 13(1)(ia) of the Hindu Marriage Act.

A woman appealed after a Family Court denied her divorce and instead granted restitution of conjugal rights to her husband. She alleged that her in-laws prevented her from studying after marriage in 2015.

The High Court found her claims valid, noting the couple had lived together for only three days in 2016.

Citing the right to education under Article 21 and the irretrievable breakdown of marriage, the court granted her divorce and overturned the lower court’s decision.

SEBI (Securities and Exchange Board of India) issued a cautionary letter to Nestle India regarding an alleged breach of Insider Trading Regulations by a high-ranking official.

Nestle’s compliance officer received a warning letter from the Deputy General Manager of SEBI for breaching the Prohibition of Insider Trading Regulations, 2015.

Nestle India stated that this incident would not affect the company’s operations and confirmed compliance by following Regulation 30 of SEBI Listing Regulations.

SEBI implemented regulations to safeguard investors’ interests by preventing companies from acquiring their own shares through secondary market transactions.

The Delhi High Court has issued summons in a trademark infringement suit filed by Moti Mahal Delux Management Services Pvt. Ltd. against a restaurant in Malcha Marg, Chanakyapuri, using the name “Moti Mahal Delux.”

The Court issued notice on Moti Mahal’s injunction plea and directed the defendant to submit a written statement.

Moti Mahal holds trademarks for 'Moti Mahal,' 'Moti Mahal group,' 'Moti Mahal management services,' and 'Tandoori Trail.' 

The court noted the restaurant's location in Malcha Marg, a diplomatic area, and issued summons for further inquiry. Setting the next hearing for May 21, 2025.

The Court earlier granted interim relief to Moti Mahal in a similar case against ex-franchisee SRMJ Business Promoters.

The Patna High Court heard a PIL filed by actress Nitu Chandra against Yo Yo Honey Singh’s song Maniac, alleging it contained obscene and vulgar content.

The division bench, led by Acting Chief Justice Ashutosh Kumar, declined to pass an immediate order, questioning whether the plea was in public interest or for publicity.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that the song promoted vulgarity in Bhojpuri music and did not pass the Hicklin test for obscenity.

The Court advised the petitioner to approach the appropriate regulatory authority instead. The court will seek the Union government's opinion before the next hearing on March 28, 2025.

Consumer Forum, Kakinada, imposed a ₹27.27 lakh penalty on Tulips Grand Hotel, Hyderabad, for overcharging a customer by ₹27 on three water bottles.

Kusuma, a software engineer from Kakinada, was charged an extra ₹27 for three water bottles at Tulips Grand Hotel. When the staff dismissed his concerns, he filed a complaint with the Kakinada Consumer Forum.

Despite official notices, the hotel ignored them, leading the court to impose a penalty for negligence. 

The case highlights consumer rights under the Consumer Protection Act, of 2019.

Further, the court directed the hotel to pay ₹25 lakh to the Telangana CM’s Relief Fund, ₹25,000 to the complainant, and ₹2,000 as court costs.