Whose Pathshala is it? Times Now Navbharat sues Sushant Sinha, Network 18 in Delhi High Court

The Bennett Coleman and Company Limited (BCCL), owner of the Times Now Navbharat news channel, has sued Network18 and journalist Sushant Sinha over the use of the title "Desh Ki Pathshala" for a news analysis show.

They have alleged that the title used by Network18 is deceptively similar to Times Now Navbharat’s "News Ki Pathshala" programme and violates its trademark.

Notably, Sinha used to host the News Ki Pathshala before leaving Times Now Navbharat and joining Network 18. The Times Now show is now hosted by journalist Rubika Liyaquat. 

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani heard the matter today. 

Senior Advocate Hemant Singh appeared for BCCL and argued that Sinha was engaged in 2021 to create this programme and he stayed with them till April 2026 when he left the company to join Network 18 along with five other employees. 

“We came out with something, which is very unique, that is, to create a kind of a classroom environment, and the anchor behaves like as if he is a teacher,” Singh stated. 

He referred to trademarks used by the two shows to argue the mark Desh Ki Pathshala is a complete infringement of News Ki Pathshala as the colour combinations and the style of lettering used in the two marks are the same. 

"The only difference is they use 'Desh' while I use 'News'. He [Sinha] is my former consultant. Five years he stayed with me. And the same anchor is now broadcasting the same programme, in the same format and calling it Desh Ki Pathshala. If this is not usurping my goodwill, and the faith and trust and credibility, what is it? If this is not stealing the intellectual property, then what is it?” Singh stated. 

He added that Sinha “was a nobody” when he walked into the Times Now Navbharat studio in 2021. 

“I am not here against a stranger. He is [Sinha] is my man who I trusted for five years. I built him up, actually. He was a nobody, when he walked into my studio in 2021. But he was built up, and then he was free to go wherever. But can you walk away with the entire thing and for a competitor to set up a competitive programme where they have completely ripped it?” Singh argued. 

BCCL also alleged copyright infringement, citing the formats of the two programmes and the expression. They referred to the classroom depiction, use of digital blackboards, the revision chapters and the other elements in the two shows to buttress the claim.  

Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi appeared for Sinha and contested the claims made by BCCL. He argued that BCCL had filed a suit earlier as well against Sinha and no interim relief was granted to them. 

Meanwhile, Senior Advocate Sanjeev Sindhwani, appearing for Network 18, stated that it is BCCL which is the “pirator” as the mark Pathshala has been used for other programmes as well, much before Times Now Navbharat started using it for their show. 

Justice Bhambhani examined those marks and remarked that their “look and feel” appeared different. 

“Look and feel is another aspect, but the argument of coining the expression and the word Pathshala… These are the programmes from 2015,” Sindhwani said. 

After hearing the case for some time, the High Court said that it will consider the plea for interim injunction by BCCL only after Sinha and Network 18 file their replies. 

Therefore, the Court issued notices on the interim relief application. The Court also issued summons to Sinha and Network 18 on the suit. 

The case will be heard next on August 25.