In a major relief to filmmaker Sujoy Ghosh, the Supreme Court of India on Friday quashed criminal proceedings against him in a copyright infringement case related to his 2016 film Kahaani 2: Durga Rani Singh.
The ruling brings an end to a legal dispute that began in 2018, when a complaint alleged that Ghosh had plagiarised the script. The court delivered its verdict days after reserving judgment on March 10, following arguments on Ghosh’s plea seeking to quash the case.
The case originated from a complaint filed by Umesh Prasad Mehta before a magistrate in Jharkhand. Mehta claimed he had written a script titled Sabak and shared it with Ghosh in 2015 for assistance with copyright registration. He alleged that parts of his work were later used in Kahaani 2, which starred Vidya Balan.
Based on the complaint, a trial court had earlier found a prima facie case under the Copyright Act and issued summons to Ghosh in 2018. The Jharkhand High Court declined to quash the proceedings in 2025, prompting Ghosh to approach the Supreme Court.
The apex court had granted interim relief, staying coercive action and exempting Ghosh from personal appearance during the proceedings. With the latest judgment, the case has now been conclusively closed.