The Delhi High Court on Tuesday restrained HarperCollins Publishers India and the former Indian national women's hockey coach Sjoerd Marijne from publishing confidential information related to hockey players in his book.
Hockey India had moved a petition seeking for directions restraining the respondents from publishing confidential information and using two photographs over which the sports body has copyright.
Justice Amit Bansal passed the interim order on a suit by Hockey India.
"A prima facie case is made out on behalf of the plaintiff. From a reading of the highlighted portions of the manuscript of the book and based on the observations contained in order of September 19, 2022, passed by the Division Bench of this court, I am of the prima facie view that the confidentiality clause in the code of conduct has been breached by Marijne by seeking to publish the aforesaid highlighted portions of the book. Balance of convenience is in favour of the plaintiff, " the court said.
Consequently, till the next date of hearing, an ad interim injunction is passed, restraining the defendants from marketing/publishing/ disclosing for commercial gain the book/manuscript or any part thereof containing the aforesaid highlighted portions on pages 23-24, 68, 87 and 91 as noted above," the bench noted in order of November 1.
The court issued a summons to the publisher which was accepted by the counsel present in the hearing. They directed to issue summons to Marijne through all modes.
All matters related to the book 'Will Power: The Inside Story of the Incredible Turnaround in Indian Women's Hockey are on the November 18 hearing.
The book authored by Marijne has been mired in controversy. First, the woman hockey player Gurjit Kaur and then Indian men's hockey captain Manpreet Singh approached the High Court seeking a restraining order against publishing the book.
The Delhi High Court after hearing the petitions had passed orders restraining him from publishing information related to them.
( With inputs from ANI )
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