NEW DELHI: Lyricist Javed Akhtar has been slapped a fine of Rs 1 lakh by the Delhi High Court for withdrawing a copyright violation case against a film production house and causing “unnecessary financial burden” on it to defend itself.

Observing that defendant Magic Mantra Vision was put under “unnecessary hardship” as it had to visit Delhi time and again to defend the case, the court said “in view of the denial of the letter written by him (Akhtar) on January 10, 2001 transferring the copyright… the suit is dismissed as withdrawn”.