Delhi High Court Friday issued notice to producer-director Ketan Mehta, his wife Deepa Sahi and their company Maya Movies for alleged violation of copyrights in the Zee Telefilms serial "Time Bomb".

"Time Bomb", which is now being telecast on Zee Television channel, is alleged to have been copied from the 20th Century Fox Films Corporation serial "24".

Issuing notice, Justice Anil Kumar asked them to file replies by July 18. Justice Kumar issued the notice on an application by the 20th Century Fox seeking impleadment of the respondent in the case.

Former additional solicitor general Mukul Rohtagi appeared for the US media giant and former law minister Arun Jaitley for Zee Telefilms Ltd.

Ketan Mehta, who was present in the courtroom, accepted his notice while the other respondents will be served with notices for replies.

The high court has been hearing a suit by Fox Films seeking a permanent injunction on the telecast of the serial "Time Bomb" alleging that the serial was a copy of its serial "24". The suit alleges that Zee Telefilms violated its copyright by copying the storyline, presentation techniques and the script itself.

Rebutting the charges, Zee Telefilms said the allegations were lies as it had produced such a serial earlier also, and the present serial was in continuation of its earlier serial "Pradhan Mantri".