Identifying infringer post infringement in India

A very challenging aspect of issuing a remedy post infringement stems from the problem of identification of an infringer. As technology has progressed, many a time copyright infringement have been caused through the façade of virtual identities which are most of the times forged, unidentifiable and untraceable.

The Indian courts have used “John Doe” orders or “Ashok Kumar” orders against unidentified persons by passing restraining orders time after time against unknown defendants distributing, displaying, duplicating, uploading, downloading or exhibiting copyrighted work in any manner.