Viacom18 secures jiohotstar.com domain after months-long dispute

After months of legal and commercial disputes, Viacom18 Media Pvt Ltd has successfully acquired the domain jiohotstar.com.

As per media reports, updated WHOIS records confirm that Reliance now holds legal ownership of the domain, which is registered under the name of Manish Painuly, Senior Director at Viacom18.

The domain’s journey began with a Delhi-based engineer who initially owned it before it was transferred to two siblings in Dubai. Reportedly, the engineer had requested financial assistance for his Cambridge University education in exchange for the domain, a proposal Reliance is said to have declined. Subsequently, the domain came into the possession of the Dubai siblings, who reportedly handed it over to Reliance’s legal team last month at no cost.