In the latest twist of the JioHotstar domain squatting row, Dubai-based siblings and YouTubers Jivika and Jainam Jain have bought the domain from the Delhi techie. Indeed, the latest update on the website shows Jivika and Jainam Jain as new owners.
According to a report by THE WEEK, Jainam Jain has even confirmed that the domain is now owned by them. “We bought it from him (the unnamed app developer). The deal happened via namecheap.com.”
What exactly happened?
For the unawares, an unnamed Delhi-based techie has recently sent an “open letter” to “executives of Reliance Industries” demanding £93,345 (about Rs 1.01 crore) from Reliance to claim ownership of the JioHotstar domain he bought back in 2023.
He reasoned that he wanted to pursue higher education at Cambridge University and needed the money. The mentioned techie had the foresight to predict the merger between Reliance JioCinema and Disney HotStar, which led him to purchase the domain name "JioHotstar" far before the official announcement.
However, his request was denied and Reliance even threatened that they could “proceed with legal action” against him. Apparently, fearing a legal battle with a giant concern like Reliance, the unnamed app developer had sold the domain.
According to reports, the Jain siblings, who operate the JainamJivika Foundation, sealed the deal by 7 pm on Friday. “We read the news in the afternoon and decided to buy. We discussed this with parents and got the go-ahead. Our parents always support our decisions,” said Jainam Jain.
In the YouTube video they posted, the children revealed that they partially supported the “software engineer’s dream”.
However, it is to be seen how Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance responds to the new turn of the domain squatting row. Will they risk their brand name by taking legal action against children?