India IP Litigation
7,167 annotated decisions
Page 259 of 299 · 7,167 total
Pfizer Products Inc & Anr v.Vijay Shah & Ors.
Pfizer successfully sued a competitor for trademark infringement and passing off regarding its popular cough syrup, COREX. The Delhi High Court granted permanent injunctions restraining the defendants from using the deceptively similar mark SOREX and associated packaging/labels. Furthermore, the court awarded punitive damages to Pfizer, reinforcing the legal protection afforded to registered trademarks in the pharmaceutical sector.
Neon Laboratories Pvt.Ltd. v.Troikaa Pharma Limited
Neon Laboratories challenged the grant of Patent No.231479 held by Troikaa Pharma Limited, arguing that the company was prejudiced because it was not afforded an opportunity to oppose additional claims made during the examination process. The High Court set aside the patent grant and directed the Controller to conduct a fresh hearing on the original and amended claims.
Schreder S.A. v.Trilok Chand & Sons Pvt. Ltd.
Schreder S.A., the registered proprietor of Design No. 182346 for a lighting apparatus ('Alura'), filed suit against Trilok Chand & Sons Pvt. Ltd. The court examined a catalogue found in the defendant's premises, which displayed a product named VENICE HYT-01. Based on a comparison with the registered design, the court found that the design of VENICE HYT-01 was identical to and an imitation of the plaintiff's protected design.
M/S Babbar Wreckers Private Ltd. v.M/S Ashok Leyland Ltd.
M/S Babbar Wreckers Private Ltd. filed suit against M/S Ashok Leyland Ltd., claiming rights over technical specifications and engineering drawings used for manufacturing Light Recovery Vehicles (LRVs). The dispute centered on the alleged unauthorized use of these designs by Ashok Leyland in contracts with the Central Government. While Babbar Wreckers claimed substantial reputation and prior contractual benefits, the court found that the plaintiff failed to establish prima facie copyright ownership over the drawings. Consequently, the court balanced competing interests by directing Ashok Leyland to provide an undertaking for damages and file detailed accounts of profits derived from related government contracts.
Ferrero Spa & Anr. v.Shri Maa Distribution (India) Pvt. Ltd. & Anr.
The Delhi High Court ruled in favor of Ferrero Group against the defendants for trademark infringement and passing off related to its iconic 'Ferrero Rocher' brand. The court found that the defendant had copied not only the registered word mark but also the unique trade dress, including the crushed gold wrapper and fluted cupcake holder. Given the well-known status of the Ferrero Rocher trademark, the adoption by the defendants was deemed fraudulent, leading to a permanent injunction against all infringing activities.
Talod Gruh Udyog v.Bahuchar Gruh Udyog
The Gujarat High Court disposed of an appeal challenging a trial court's rejection of interim relief in a trademark infringement case. Given the protracted nature of the dispute, the court directed the trial court to proceed with the main civil suit expeditiously, setting a deadline of December 31, 2011. Furthermore, the respondent was mandated to file half-yearly statements detailing the production and sales of the disputed products until the final disposal of the case.
Reckitt Benckiser (India) Ltd. v.Wyeth Limited
The appeal challenged the Single Judge's order which vacated the interim injunction granted to Reckitt Benckiser, allowing Wyeth Limited to proceed despite allegations of infringement of a registered S-shaped spatula design. The core dispute revolved around whether prior registration and publication of the design in foreign countries (UK, USA, Australia) could serve as a valid defense against the infringement claim under Indian law.
Glaxo Group Ltd. v.Sunlife Sciences Pvt. Ltd.
The Delhi High Court granted an ad interim injunction in favor of Glaxo Group Ltd. against Sunlife Sciences Pvt. Ltd. regarding trademark infringement. The court found that the defendant's use of deceptively similar names (B-NATE-C, CORSUN, ZEETAK) for pharmaceutical products was likely to cause consumer confusion with the plaintiffs' well-known brands (BETNOVATE, CROCIN, ZINETAC). Given the public interest in preventing the sale of spurious drugs, the court emphasized that prima facie evidence and balance of convenience favored restraining the defendant until the final trial.
Besco Limited (Foundry & Rubber Division) v.Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks, Government of India
Besco Limited filed a petition alleging that its application under Section 11B of the Patents Act, 1970 had not been processed by the Controller General of Patents as required by Rule 24B. The petitioner argued that the statutory duty was neglected. The Court admitted the petition but clarified that pendency would not prevent the respondents from taking necessary steps.
Bajaj Auto Ltd. v.TVS Motor Company Ltd.
Bajaj Auto Ltd. appealed against an order directing them (the defendant in the original suit) to start leading evidence, while Bajaj Auto was the appellant. The original suit filed by TVS Motor Company Ltd. claimed that its product, TVS Flame, did not infringe Patent No. 195904 held by Bajaj Auto. The court ruled that since the plaintiff's suit was for declaration of non-infringement and damages, they should have been directed to lead evidence first.
Cadila Healthcare Ltd. v.Diat Foods (India)
The Delhi High Court addressed a dispute over the use of the descriptive term 'Sugar Free' in packaging. While acknowledging Cadila Healthcare's distinctiveness, the court found that an absolute ban on using 'Sugar Free' would be overly restrictive, especially if used descriptively by the respondent. The judgment ultimately modified the injunction, allowing Diat Foods to use 'SUGAR FREE,' provided it is not given greater prominence or a larger font size than competing marks like 'SUGARLESS Bliss' or 'Splenda Brand.'
Lucky Exports v.The Controller Of Patents And Designs and Ors.
Lucky Exports appealed against the rejection of its application for cancellation of a design registration (Coaster Brake Hub). The appellant argued that the respondent's design was not novel because advertisements were published publicly before the registration date. The court found merit in this argument, noting the prior public disclosures.
Lucky Exports v.The Controller Of Patents And Designs and Ors.
Lucky Exports appealed against the rejection of its application for cancelling a design registration held by respondents. The core issue was whether the registered design, Coaster Brake Hub, was novel, considering advertisements published prior to the registration date. The court found that the prior advertisements proved disclosure before the application date.
K.P.Vijayakumaran @ Kalmandalam v.State Of Kerala
The petitioner, Director of 'Kerala Kathakali Centre', challenged a notice prohibiting the use of his organization's name for trade purposes under Section 3 of the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950. The High Court dismissed the writ petition, holding that the name suggested patronage of the State Government. The subsequent Writ Appeal was also dismissed.
M/S Flight Center Travels Pvt. Ltd. v.Rahul Nath & Ors.
The Delhi High Court ruled partly in favor of M/S Flight Center Travels Pvt. Ltd., granting a permanent injunction against the defendants for infringing its trademark, 'Flight Center.' The court found that the plaintiff had sufficiently proven its reputation and goodwill as a well-known travel agency since 1994. However, the claim for damages and rendition of accounts was dismissed because the plaintiff failed to provide evidence demonstrating financial loss or profits made by the defendants.
Aloys Wobben v.Enercon (India) Limited
Aloys Wobben challenged an order passed by the IPAB, seeking quashing of orders and dismissal of Original Revocation Applications. The dispute centered on whether the Managing Director of Enercon (India) Limited had the requisite locus standi to file the revocation petition against Aloys Wobben's patents. The Madras High Court dismissed the writ petition, upholding the Tribunal's decision that all issues must be considered during the hearing of the original application.
PACS CHEMICALS THRO. DIRECTOR, ANJU S BHATT v.UNION OF INDIA & 4
The petitioners challenged the order passed by the Deputy Registrar of Trade Marks dated 17/05/2010, which dismissed their opposition and granted registration in favour of Respondent No. 5 for a trademark application (No. 1641653/1641655). The court held that since an alternative statutory remedy of appeal was available to the petitioners, the writ petitions could not be entertained.
M/S Escorts Construction v.M/S Gautam Engineeringequipment Ltd
The appellant (Escorts Construction), owner of copyrights and patents/designs for industrial drawings of cranes Hydra-12 and Hydra-14, filed a suit alleging infringement by the respondents. The trial court dismissed the suit due to lack of territorial jurisdiction. This appeal challenged that decision.
Bombay Dyeing And Manufacturing Co.Ltd. v.Mehar Karan Singh
Bombay Dyeing And Manufacturing Co.Ltd filed suit against its former Director, Mehar Karan Singh, alleging that he divulged confidential company information, specifically a customized software manual for real estate, to a competing entity. The core dispute centered on whether the disclosed material qualified as protected trade secrets under their employment contract and Code of Ethics. While the court found grounds for injunctive relief regarding specific documents like the Goa property MOU, it cautioned against broad injunctions concerning general business plans.
Marico Limited v.J.K. Enterprises & Others
The dispute centered on whether J.K. Enterprises was passing off its coconut oil, sold under the name "Nihal," as that of Marico Limited (or its predecessor). The court examined the similarity between the two packaging designs and marks, concluding that the defendant's use was deceptively similar to the plaintiff's registered mark 'Nihar'.
R.R. Proteins And Agro Limited v.Hari Shankar Singhania & Another
The plaintiff asserted exclusivity over its word mark 'Arati' in edible oil against the defendant's use of 'Sandhya Arati'. The court found that despite the addition of 'Sandhya', the prominent feature 'Arati' was incorporated, leading to infringement and passing-off. Consequently, an injunction was granted restraining the defendants from using the infringing mark.
M/S. Takkar (India) Tea Company v.Soongachi Tea Industries Pvt. Ltd.
The Delhi High Court ruled in favor of M/S. Takkar (India) Tea Company, setting aside an adverse decision by the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB). The core issue was whether the Petitioner’s trademark 'GOLD LEAF' for tea was deceptively similar to the Respondent’s registered mark 'SONA'. The Court emphasized that marks must be compared as a whole, rejecting the IPAB's approach of splitting 'GOLD LEAF' into 'GOLD' and comparing it only with 'SONA'. Furthermore, the distinct visual depiction of the two marks was noted as a key distinguishing factor.
Itw India Limited v.Deputy Registrar of Trade Marks
The Madras High Court dismissed an appeal filed by Itw India Limited challenging the rejection of its trademark registration for 'MET L GARD'. The court found that despite the appellant's claims of prior use and distinctiveness, their application was vulnerable to opposition from Metalguard Private Limited. The judgment emphasized that phonetic similarity between 'MET L GARD' and 'METALGUARD', coupled with the intent to exploit a similar business field (Class-2 vs Class-1), created a high likelihood of public confusion.
Rajnikant Devidas Shroff (Chairman Managing Director of United Phosphorous Limited & Anr.) v.Lucky Chemical Industry & Ors.
The applicants (Rajnikant) sought directions to appoint a Court Commissioner to inspect the premises of the respondents (Lucky Chemical Industry) to determine if they were producing Phosphorous Pentachloride using the patented method covered by Patent No. 172459, despite an existing injunction.