Delhi developer asked Reliance for INR 1,01,84,107.52 in exchange for the JioHotstar domain, but now faces legal action.
On October the 24th, 2024, an aspiring app developer from Delhi who had planned to sell the domain name JioHotstar.com to cater for his University education at Cambridge University wakes up to a legal tussle with Reliance Industries. In 2023, the developer bought the domain since he assumed that Reliance may consolidate with Disney+ Hotstar.
The Concept of JioHotstar.com
In 2023, the developer heard some gossip that Disney+ Hotstar lost the streaming right for IPL; thus he conjectured that Reliance through Viacom18 might buy it and rename it JioHotstar like they did to Saavn and make it JioSaavn. Realising this opportunity, he got the domain JioHotstar.com On the hope of selling the domain to fund his Executive MBA (EMBA) at Cambridge University.
Why Cambridge?
The developer himself had a tie with the Cambridge University. Cambridge Accelerate Program in 2021 to gain experience of the startup industry was also completed by him. However though he often wished to complete a full degree in entrepreneurship. The only problem? It was financially beyond my abilities Credit: Self The father and the son – financially beyond one’s means.
£93,345 Request
The developer’s plan was simple: that he sold the domain to Reliance for £93,345 which he would use to pay his fees for the Cambridge university. He got a contact in the form of a mail from Ambujesh Yadav, an assistant vice president at Reliance, about the domain, but the developer was rejected. Rather than purchasing this domain, Reliance resolved to take legal proceedings.
Fear of Losing the Domain
The aim of such clauses might be to create pressure on the developer now facing the threat of losing domain JioHotstar.com without any compensation. He argues that when he bought the domain in 2023, JioHotstar was not a trademark or even existed. He says he did not commit any legal infringement when purchasing the domain which he regards as a normal business strategy at that time.
A Giant vs. A Dreamer
In fact for Reliance the total domain form seems to cost almost nothing. But for the developer, selling it could have been life-changing to let alone, write a check for thirty million dollars. He is angry not only with the legal action but he is also angry that he had no chance to apply his money towards gaining an education at Cambridge University which he wanted for years.
Looking for Legal Help
The developer doesn’t want that to happen so now they are looking for a lawyer. He wishes someone could guide him through which he considers a very complicated process. He has also received a great deal of positive comments via the social media from people who have listened to his story. However, he complains that he failed to match Arad, never mind a company as big as Reliance Industries.
What Happens Next?
The future is also unknown for the developer. Will Reliance change their strategy, or will the lawsuit cost him his domain and his vision? The next few days will determine if this was a David and Goliath story or a young man down in his boot.
