Bombay HC orders Gaurav Taneja to remove videos over Castrol copyright dispute

The Bombay High Court has directed YouTuber Gaurav Taneja, popularly known as the Flying Beast, to remove two videos from his YouTube channel after Castrol India Ltd accused him of copyright infringement. The videos, part of Castrol’s ‘Castronomy’ promotional campaign, were uploaded without crediting the company or promoting the campaign, prompting legal action.

According to reports, Justice Riyaz Chagla, while granting interim relief to Castrol India, observed that the content was created during the company’s campaign in the United States, and Taneja had neither acknowledged Castrol nor referenced the campaign in his uploads.

The dispute arose from Castrol’s April 2024 launch of the ‘Castronomy’ campaign, which featured video bloggers documenting zero-gravity flight experiences in the U.S. Castrol had covered the costs of travel, accommodation, and participation for the bloggers, in exchange for content highlighting the campaign.

Taneja participated in the campaign in May 2024 alongside American YouTuber Eric Decker. However, the videos he uploaded on October 29 and November 1, titled Ready to go in Zero Gravity with @airrack and Flying in zero gravity, excluded any mention of Castrol or the campaign.

Despite repeated requests and an offer of ₹5 lakh for removal of the videos, Taneja did not comply, prompting Castrol to initiate legal proceedings.

In its December 4 order, the Court held that Castrol was the producer and primary copyright owner of the content. It further directed Taneja to remove the videos from his social media platforms, stating that the unauthorised use of the material violated Castrol’s rights.