IP Cases — 2013
86 decisions across all jurisdictions
Page 1 of 3 · 86 total
The Coca Cola Company And Anr. v.Rajesh
The Delhi High Court ruled in favor of The Coca Cola Company, granting an injunction and ordering the transfer of the domain name 'cokestudio.in'. The court found that the defendant's registration and use of this identical domain name infringed upon Coca-Cola's registered trademarks (COKE STUDIO) and constituted passing off. This judgment reinforces the principle that a domain name can possess all the characteristics of a trademark, allowing rights holders to protect their goodwill online.
Lakha Ram Sharma v.Balar Marketing Private Limited & Ors.
The Supreme Court of India overturned the Intellectual Property Appellate Board's (IPAB) decision that dismissed a trade mark rectification petition due to delay. The appellant, who had been using the 'Kundan' mark since 1980, argued that his efforts to challenge the registration were timely, despite initial jurisdictional issues in the Delhi High Court. The Supreme Court ruled that procedural delays caused by lack of jurisdiction should not prejudice a bona fide applicant seeking to protect their established rights, remanding the case for fresh consideration on merits.
Hindustan Uniliver Limited v.Sree Annapoorna Foods
This Madras High Court judgment addressed an appeal challenging the dismissal of a petition seeking to reject a civil suit on grounds of re-litigation. The respondents, Sree Annapoorna Foods, sued Hindustan Unilever Limited over alleged trademark infringement concerning 'Annapoorna' and 'Annapurna'. The appellant argued that the claim was barred by prior litigation and relinquishment of rights. However, the court found that since the cause of action for the second suit arose from subsequent events not covered in the earlier plaint, the suit could not be rejected at the initial stage.
Urooj Ahmed v.Preethi Kitchen Appliances Private Limited
The appellant, Urooj Ahmed, filed an Original Side Appeal challenging the single judge's decision to dismiss an application seeking rejection of the plaint on grounds of lack of territorial jurisdiction. The suit involved claims of design infringement and passing off under the Designs Act, 2000. The High Court dismissed the appeal, upholding the lower court's order regarding maintainability.
Tata Sons Ltd. v.Arno Palmen
The Delhi High Court ruled in favor of Tata Sons Ltd., finding that the defendant's registration of the domain name www.tatainfotech.in constituted trademark infringement and bad faith. The court noted that the plaintiff had prior rights over the associated brand, TATA INFOTECH, and found conclusive evidence demonstrating the defendant registered the domain solely to exploit the plaintiffs' reputation. Consequently, the court granted a permanent injunction against the use of the infringing domain name and ordered its cancellation.
Levi Strauss & Company v.Shivani Label
Levi Strauss & Company filed a suit against Shivani Label alleging clandestine manufacturing and supply of apparel under deceptively similar marks, including LEVI'S. The court found the plaintiff's claims substantiated by un-rebutted testimony and documents.
Unimed Technologies Ltd. v.M/s Eyekare Kilitch Ltd.
The Madras High Court dismissed Original Side Appeals filed by Unimed Technologies Ltd. and Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited against a prior order dismissing their injunction application. The court found that the mark 'TOBA', being derived from the generic chemical term Tobramycin, was publici juris. Furthermore, the court noted factual dissimilarities in color schemes and symbols between the products, concluding there was no prima facie case of passing off or consumer confusion, especially since both drugs are sold under prescription by specialized physicians.
Bajaj Holdings & Investments Ltd. v.Assessee
The appeal challenged the assessment order upholding that payments made by Bajaj Holdings & Investments Ltd. to Xennia Technology Ltd. for developing inkjet printers and inks were royalty/fees for technical services, subject to TDS at 15%. The Tribunal examined the agreement and found it involved technology transfer and IP ownership rights, thus confirming the payment was not merely a purchase of machinery.
M/S Universal Pharma v.G M Bell Health Care Pvt Ltd
The Gujarat High Court dismissed an appeal filed by M/S Universal Pharma against a trial court's interim injunction. The dispute involved allegations of copyright infringement and passing off related to pharmaceutical products. The court found that since the main suit was yet to be decided, scrutinizing evidence at the interim stage would prejudice the trial. Consequently, the High Court vacated the existing injunction, favoring the defendant (Universal Pharma) for now.
F Hoffman La Rochee Ltd & Anr v.Cipla Ltd.
This appeal involved disputes between Roche and Cipla regarding Patent No. 196774, which covered a cancer treatment drug ('Polymer A'). While Cipla had raised counterclaims seeking revocation based on non-disclosure (Section 8), the Division Bench addressed whether to stay the IPAB proceedings pending the outcome of cross-appeals in the High Court.
Asha Audio Company And Anr. v.Om Prakash Sonik & Ors.
Asha Audio Company filed a suit seeking royalties from a copyright society (Respondent No. 4), arguing that Section 19(9) and 19(10) entitle authors to equal shares of royalties, even outside cinematographic films. The dispute centered on the re-registration process of the society, where a show cause notice was issued regarding non-payment of royalties, leading the petitioner to seek an interim injunction against disbursement.
Microsoft Corporation v.Mr. Ganesh Wakode
Microsoft Corporation filed a lawsuit against Mr. Ganesh Wakode alleging widespread infringement of its copyrighted software titles, including various versions of Microsoft Windows and MS Office. Investigations revealed that the defendants' offices were running numerous computer systems with significant quantities of unlicensed/pirated software installations. The court ultimately ruled in favor of Microsoft, granting permanent injunctions, substantial compensatory damages, and punitive damages to deter future piracy.
M/S American Express Company & Others v.M/S Amex Financial Services Private Ltd & Others
The Delhi High Court ruled in favor of American Express (Amex) against Amex Financial Services Private Ltd for trademark infringement and passing off. The court found that the defendant was malafidely using the 'AMEX' mark in financial services identical to those offered by Amex, leading to strong likelihood of confusion among the public. Consequently, the plaintiffs were granted a permanent injunction restraining further infringement, along with damages.
N. V. Sumatra Tobacco Trading Co. v.The Registrar of Trade Marks & Ors.
The petitioner challenged the Intellectual Property Appellate Board's (IPAB) order which allowed the registration of the trade mark 'HERO' for cigarettes. The petitioner argued that the IPAB erred by interfering with the Registrar's discretionary decision and misinterpreting legal principles regarding trademark priority and special circumstances. The High Court ultimately set aside the IPAB's order, confirming the Registrar's refusal to register the mark.
M/s.Flsmidth Pvt.Ltd. v.M/s.Secan Invescast (India) Pvt.Ltd.
M/s. Flsmidth Pvt.Ltd. filed an appeal seeking to enforce a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) against M/s. Secan Invescast (India) Pvt.Ltd., alleging that the respondent violated trade secrets by approaching Flsmidth's customers and using proprietary technical knowhow. The appellant claimed significant loss of sales due to this breach. However, the Madras High Court dismissed the appeal, finding that the appellant failed to establish a prima facie case for injunction after the agreement expired and noting that damages remained an available remedy.
M/s.Vasudev Adigas Fast Food Pvt., Ltd. v.Mr. Radhakrishna Adiga
The Karnataka High Court addressed multiple writ petitions filed by M/s Vasudev Adigas Fast Food Pvt. Ltd. against Mr. Radhakrishna Adiga regarding the use of the 'Adigas' trademark. The petitioners sought an ad-interim injunction to prevent infringement, challenging a lower court order that allowed the respondent time to file objections. While the High Court did not grant the immediate injunction requested, it directed the trial court to expeditiously consider and dispose of the temporary injunction applications filed by the plaintiffs.
The Institute Of Company Secretaries Of India v.Mangalore Institute Of Fire and Safety Engineering
The Institute of Company Secretaries of India (Petitioner) sought to quash a prospectus and direct respondents from imparting an MBA in Company Secretaryship course because they were using the trade mark 'CS', which the Petitioner claimed was protected under Section 15-B of the Company Secretaries Act, 1980. The Court clarified that while respondents could impart similar courses, they must not use the specific trademark 'CS' to save the petitioner's logo and patent.
Weider Publications, Llc & Anr. v.Shri Pushpendra Srivastav & Anr.
The Delhi High Court ruled in favor of Weider Publications, LLC, finding the defendants guilty of infringing both copyright and trademark rights related to the 'Muscle & Fitness' magazine. The court found that the defendants were not only using a deceptively similar title ('Muscles & Fitness') but also blatantly copying the content, layout, and get-up of the plaintiffs' internationally acclaimed publication. Given the defendants' failure to appear in court despite being served notice, the court emphasized the need for punitive damages to deter unscrupulous infringement, awarding Rs. 5 lakhs.
Umesh Kumar Gupta And Another v.M/S Shree Girraj Food Products
The Allahabad High Court dismissed a revision filed by M/S Shree Girraj Food Products, which sought to stay an ongoing trademark infringement suit. The defendants argued that their application for rectification (cancellation) of the plaintiff's 'Chacha Chaudhary' trademark was pending before the Appellate Board. However, the court ruled that Section 124 of the Trade Marks Act is inapplicable because the original suit was not for trademark infringement but rather a suit for injunction based on passing off. Consequently, the stay could not be granted.
Sugen Inc. v.A. Rao & Anr.
The plaintiffs sued for injunction against infringement of Indian Patent No.209251, which covered the drug SUTENT. Although the Supreme Court initially set aside a revocation order, the Assistant Controller subsequently revoked the patent again. The court ultimately held that since the patent was revoked, the basis for the interim injunction disappeared, and the plaintiffs' application for continued relief was dismissed.
Kaveri Hotels Private Limited (Presently Known as Chouki) v.Intellectual Property Appellate Board & 2
The petitioner, Kaveri Hotels Private Limited (Chouki), challenged the Intellectual Property Appellate Board's acceptance of a correction application related to the registration of the 'Chouki Dhani' trade mark. The dispute centered on whether respondent No. 2 could legally replace the original applicant, Mr. Gulraj Vaswani, based on an unregistered business takeover agreement.
Novartis Ag v.Union Of India & Ors
This landmark Supreme Court judgment addressed the critical interplay between Section 3(d) of the Patents Act, 1970, and the definition of 'invention.' The case centered on Novartis's claim for a patent covering the beta crystalline form of Imatinib Mesylate (marketed as Glivec/Gleevec), a life-saving drug. The Court was tasked with balancing the need to encourage pharmaceutical research and development against India’s commitment to ensuring affordable access to essential medicines, particularly in developing nations.
Tez Tobacco Company & Anr. v.M/s Tejram Dharampal
The Rajasthan High Court addressed a stay application concerning trademark infringement between Tez Tobacco Company and M/s Tejram Dharampal. The court upheld the trial court's finding that the appellant's label, featuring 'Ganesh Chhap Zarda,' was deceptively similar to the respondent's registered mark, thus maintaining the injunction against its use. However, the court simultaneously lifted a restriction placed on the appellants regarding the use of their firm name, 'Tej,' allowing them to continue operating under that name pending the appeal.
Rajnarayan Dwivedi v.Girish
The petitioner challenged a trial court order that affirmed an injunction granted in favor of the respondents/plaintiffs. The dispute centered on the similarity between the respondents' brands ('Rashtriya Khajuraho Griha Udyog' and 'Calash Chhap Tobacco - Lalluwali') and the petitioner's brand ('Rashtrapriya Khajuraho Tambakhu Griha Udyog').
Micolube India Limited v.Rakesh Kumar Trading As Saurabh Industries & Ors.
This judgment addresses complex questions regarding the interplay between statutory design rights and common law remedies like passing off. The court ruled that a suit for infringement of a registered design is not maintainable against another registered proprietor if the registration covers the same features. Furthermore, while the remedy of passing off cannot be joined with the design infringement suit concerning the shape itself, it remains available in alternative to prevent consumer confusion arising from trade dress or trademarks.
Microsoft Coporation And Anr. v.Mr. Sanjay Langar And Anr.
Microsoft Corporation filed a suit seeking permanent injunction against defendants for infringing its copyrights in various software programs, specifically alleging unauthorized 'Hard-Disk Loading' onto computers sold by the defendants. The plaintiffs demonstrated that the installed software lacked genuine Certificates of Authenticity and End-User License Agreements. Given the evidence presented and the defendant's failure to appear in court, the Delhi High Court decreed the suit in favor of Microsoft Corporation.
M/S. Pachranga International Pvt. Ltd. v.Union Of India & Ors.
The Delhi High Court dismissed a writ petition filed by M/S. Pachranga International Pvt. Ltd., which sought to overturn an Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) order directing the removal of its 'Pachranga International' trademark. The court found that due process was not followed in the alleged expulsion of a former partner, leading it to conclude that the petitioner could only use a modified version of the mark, not the original unregistered trademark. Furthermore, the court rejected the petitioner's claim regarding the validity of an assignment deed involving their wife.
Paras Natural Spring Water Pvt. Ltd. v.Registrar Of Trade Marks Delhi & Ors.
The Delhi High Court addressed several writ petitions concerning trademark applications that had been erroneously treated as 'abandoned' by the Trade Marks Registry. The court clarified crucial procedural aspects, ruling that simply failing to appear on a hearing date does not automatically lead to abandonment if evidence is required. Instead, the Registrar must decide the application on its merits or provide an opportunity for regularization and extension of time. This judgment provides significant relief to applicants whose rights were jeopardized by administrative oversights.
Bristol Myers Squibb Company v.V.C. Bhutada
The suit was filed by Bristol Myers Squibb Company against V.C. Bhutada and others, seeking permanent injunction against the infringement of Indian Patent No. 203937 covering the API DASATINIB (marketed as SPRYCEL). The current application sought to return the plaint for presentation in a different court based on territorial jurisdiction.
Telefonaktiebolaget Lm Ericsson v.Mercury Electronics & Anr.
Ericsson filed an application seeking permission to file affidavits and a claim chart mapping in a sealed envelope, arguing that this was necessary to demonstrate how its patented AMR, 3G, and EDGE technologies were infringed by Mercury Electronics and Micromax. The court permitted Ericsson to file the documents while keeping them under safe custody for joint inspection.
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