Mysore court holds first 'teletrial' in south India

MYSORE: For the first time in south India, District and Sessions Judge court on Tuesday recorded evidences through teleconference in a copyright case filed against a foreign film producer.
City-based film script writer Veda Nayak had filed the case against leading Hollywood film producer Dean Devlin, associated with 20th Century Fox. Respondents were based at Los Angeles.
Nayak, an NRI from Mysore, cross-examined Devlin, who made the famous film Independence Day.He has alleged that Independence Day is based on a script ‘Extra Terrestrial Mission’ (ETM) written by him, and accused the 20th Century Fox of infringing his copyright. Devlin, however, refuted the charge of piracy and infringement. Nayak claimed he had registered the copyright of ETM in 1986, while the film was released in 1996.
Tele-hearing was conducted through an ISDN line installed by BSNL at the court premises, connected to Lakshmipuram telephone exchange.
However, the proceedings got disrupted for a while when the power went off. Trial went on for over three hours; it will continue till Thursday. Many lawyers witnessed the proceedings. It may be recalled Nayak has been fighting the case against 20th Century Fox for the last five years.
Ranina, a lawyer from Mumbai, appeared on behalf of Devlin, while Nayak himself cross-examined the respondents.