Bombay High Court Issues Restraint on Absolute Legend Sports Pvt. Ltd.
The Bombay High Court has issued a restraining order against Absolute Legend Sports Pvt. Ltd., preventing the company from using copyrighted songs owned by Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) during the ongoing Legend League Cricket (LLC) tournament. This decision comes as the tournament commenced on March 11, 2026, and is set to run until March 27, 2026, featuring six participating teams.
Justice Sharmila Deshmukh, presiding over the case, acknowledged the ‘grave urgency’ of the plea filed by PPL, which highlighted that the LLC organizers failed to secure the necessary licensing for this year’s event. In her remarks, Justice Deshmukh stated, “The action in the present case is quia timet action and apprehension that the Plaintiff’s copyrighted sound recordings will be played at the matches appears to be well-founded as in the past license was procured.” This indicates that the court recognized the potential infringement of PPL’s rights, especially since a license had been obtained for the tournament in 2023.
The case, titled Phonographic Performance Limited vs Absolute Legend Sports Private Limited [Commercial Suit (L) 27133 of 2025], underscores the importance of intellectual property rights in the sports industry. The LLC organizers had previously demonstrated compliance with copyright laws, making their current oversight particularly significant. Justice Deshmukh further noted, “Prima facie, the procurement of license by Respondent No. 1 in the past would indicate the knowledge of the Respondents that for the purpose of communicating the Plaintiff’s copyrighted sound recordings, it is necessary to obtain the license from the Plaintiff.”
In a separate matter, the Bombay High Court also addressed a plea challenging admissions to the Ph.D. program at MNLU Nagpur, seeking the institution’s response. This highlights the court’s active role in overseeing educational matters alongside its involvement in commercial disputes.
Additionally, the court has been involved in serious criminal cases, including a recent ruling where Justice Manish Pitale emphasized the sufficiency of a victim’s testimony in sexual assault cases. The court sentenced an individual to life imprisonment for the sexual assault of his daughter, confirming the victim’s date of birth as February 15, 2002, which established her status as a minor at the time of the incidents. Justice Pitale remarked, “When a child is forced to suffer at the hands of her own father, the law must speak in a voice that is resolute and uncompromising.”
The victim had reported the abuse following a ‘Police Didi’ program at her school, leading to a formal complaint filed on July 27, 2018. The court found that the sole testimony of the prosecutrix was adequate for conviction, provided it inspired confidence, as stated by Justice Pitale: “The sole testimony of the prosecutrix is enough to return a finding of conviction, so long as the evidence of the prosecutrix inspires confidence.” This case illustrates the court’s commitment to upholding justice in sensitive matters involving minors.
As the LLC tournament progresses, observers will be keen to see how Absolute Legend Sports Pvt. Ltd. responds to the court’s ruling and whether they will seek to resolve the licensing issue promptly. Meanwhile, the implications of the court’s decisions in both commercial and criminal cases continue to resonate within the legal landscape of India.
