IP Cases — 2019
339 decisions across all jurisdictions
Page 10 of 12 · 339 total
Durga Dairy Ltd. v.M/s.Laxmi Food Products
Durga Dairy Ltd. filed a civil suit against M/s.Laxmi Food Products seeking permanent injunctions, damages, and accounts of profits for alleged trademark infringement, passing off, and copyright violation concerning their 'DURGA' brand. The plaintiffs sought to restrain the defendant from using deceptively similar marks like 'LAXMI DURGA'. However, despite being granted sufficient time, the plaintiffs failed to file an application to amend the cause title due to a change in company name. Consequently, the Madras High Court dismissed the civil suit for default.
Onyx Therapeutics, Inc. v.Union Of India & Ors
Onyx Therapeutics, Inc. challenged procedural orders issued by the Controller General of Patents concerning a post-grant opposition filed against their Indian Patent No. 255964. The petitioner argued that denying them the opportunity to cross-examine expert witnesses relied upon by the opponent violated principles of natural justice. The Delhi High Court agreed, finding that the denial vitiated the proceedings and set aside the impugned orders.
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp v.Rshyamala Ranganathan
The plaintiffs filed a suit for permanent injunction against the defendants for infringement of their registered patent. The defendants stated they have never manufactured the products in question and agreed to the decree.
Deepa Jayakumar v.A.L. Vijay
Deepa Jayakumar filed an appeal seeking an interim injunction to prevent respondents (film producers) from making, releasing, or promoting films/web series about the life of Dr. J. Jayalalitha without her consent, citing concerns over privacy and reputation. The court dismissed the appeal, upholding the lower court's order.
Symphony Ltd. v.Life Plus Appliances
Symphony Ltd. filed a suit against Life Plus Appliances alleging infringement of its registered designs for air coolers. The Plaintiff demonstrated that the Defendant's models, 'Tower' and 'Tycoon', were substantial imitations of Symphony's protected designs (Storm 70i, Sumo, and Winter). Despite the Defendant raising defenses regarding prior publication based on advertisements and trademark applications, the court found these claims unsubstantiated. Consequently, the court decreed the suit in favor of Symphony Ltd., granting a permanent injunction and awarding damages.
Ngk Spark Plug Co. Ltd. v.Union Of India & Ors.
Ngk Spark Plug Co. Ltd. sought to rectify the corporate name of NTK Bearings Private Limited, arguing that the company's use of 'NTK' infringed upon Ngk's registered trademark. The Delhi High Court ultimately dismissed the petition, upholding the Regional Director's rejection. The court emphasized strict adherence to statutory limitations, finding that the petitioner failed to act diligently and waited too long after becoming aware of the opposition and subsequent rejections.
Onyx Therapeutics Inc. v.Union Of India & Ors
Onyx Therapeutics Inc. challenged the Deputy Controller of Patents' orders that restricted its right to cross-examine expert witnesses during a post-grant opposition filed by Fresenius Kabi Oncology Ltd. The core dispute centered on whether the patentee, having filed objections under Rule 58, was entitled to challenge the veracity of the opponent's experts through cross-examination. The Delhi High Court ultimately ruled in favor of Onyx, quashing the restrictive orders and allowing the cross-examination without imposing any condition regarding the filing of evidence by the patentee.
Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited v.Kotak LLC
Kotak Mahindra Bank Limited filed a Notice of Motion against Kotak LLC alleging infringement and passing off concerning the registered trademark 'KOTAK'. The court granted temporary and permanent injunctions restraining the Defendant from using similar marks, names (like KOTAK LLC), apps (App KOTAK), and domain names (www.kotakapp.com) that are deceptive or identical to the Plaintiff's mark.
Hindustan Unilever Limited v.Dhananjay Gruh Udyog
Hindustan Unilever Limited filed a Commercial IP Suit against Dhananjay Gruh Udyog alleging infringement and passing off related to its registered 'SPLAT device mark'. The Bombay High Court granted leave under Clause XIV of the Letters Patent Act and decreed the suit in favor of the Plaintiff.
M/s. Hotel Sealord v.M/s.Hotel New Sealord
The Madras High Court addressed a civil suit filed by M/s. Hotel Sealord against M/s. Hotel New Sealord, alleging passing off and trademark infringement based on similar names. Although the plaintiff sought permanent injunction and damages, the court noted that the parties had reached an amicable settlement prior to judgment. Consequently, the Civil Suit was decreed strictly according to the terms outlined in the Memo of Compromise signed by both parties.
M/s.Radiant Cash Management Services v.All in Pictures
M/s. Radiant Cash Management Services filed a suit against All in Pictures alleging infringement of its exclusive trademark, 'Radiant,' related to the screening of the film 'GORRILA.' The plaintiff sought permanent injunction and damages for the alleged misuse of the mark. However, during the hearing, the defendant submitted an affidavit stating that the matter had been settled out of court.
Nv Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. v.A.D.S Spirits Pvt. Ltd.
In this commercial suit concerning trademark and copyright infringement, the Delhi High Court allowed Nv Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. to file crucial additional documentation. The plaintiff sought permission to submit legal proceedings certificates and invoices related to their BESTO whisky brand. After considering arguments from both sides, the court granted leave for the documents to be taken on record, provided the plaintiff pays a cost of Rs. 15,000/-.
Corum Hospitality And Another v.Hotel Varuna And 3 Others
This Bombay High Court judgment addressed procedural matters in a commercial IP suit involving trademark disputes between Corum Hospitality and Hotel Varuna. The court accepted undertakings regarding the filing of Vakalatnamas and set out timelines for addressing office objections to the notice of motion. Furthermore, an intervener sought permission to join the proceedings concerning alleged infringement of the 'Bar Stock Exchange' trademark, which was granted procedural allowance.
Mr.P.Radhakrishnan v.Bajaj Auto Limited
Mr. P. Radhakrishnan filed a civil suit alleging that Bajaj Auto Limited infringed his Patent No. 182682, which covers a four-stroke internal combustion engine technology used in vehicles like the Pulsar series. The plaintiff sought an injunction and damages.
Agarwal Deokinandan Gopiram v.Jagdamba Textiles Pvt Ltd
The petitioner, an owner of a patent related to a specialized fabric dyeing machine, challenged the respondent's use of similar technology. The court examined the technical specifications of the patented machine and found that the applicant had established a strong prima facie case for patent violation.
Hindustan Unilever Limited v.Halberd Chemicals
Hindustan Unilever Limited filed a suit against Halberd Chemicals alleging infringement of its copyrighted artistic packaging/trade dress, registered trademarks (Nos. 1486109, 1780462, 1486107), and passing off using its well-known logo. The Bombay High Court decreed the suit in favor of the Plaintiff.
Mylan Laboratories Limited v.Union Of India & Ors
Mylan Laboratories Limited challenged an order that granted a patent for 'Methods of Evaluating Peptide Mixtures' after dismissing their pre-grant opposition. The petitioner sought urgent relief as the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) was non-functional due to long-standing vacancies in its Technical Member positions, leading to a logjam of appeals. The Delhi High Court addressed this systemic issue by invoking the doctrine of necessity, ruling that IPAB can continue hearing urgent matters related to Patents, Trademarks, and Copyrights even with vacant technical posts.
Pharmacosmos Holding A/S v.La Renon Healthcare Private Limited & Anr
Pharmacosmos Holding A/S filed a suit for infringement against La Renon Healthcare Private Limited and others regarding Patent No. 291100 ('RAPIFER'). The court granted permanent injunction against Defendant No. 1 based purely on the defendant's binding statement, despite disputes over the plaint's merits. Similarly, the suit against Defendant No. 2 (Corona Remedies Pvt. Ltd.) was disposed of by binding them to their reply stating they were not infringing.
Benden Limited v.Hindustan Unilever Ltd.
The Bombay High Court dismissed a commercial IP suit filed by Benden Limited against Hindustan Unilever Ltd. The dismissal occurred because the Plaintif had previously received an order from the Intellectual Property Appellate Board (IPAB) directing the cancellation of its trademark registration, 'Perfect Radiance.' Since the mark was removed from the register, the court found that the Plaintiff was no longer interested in pursuing the suit, leading to its dismissal for want of prosecution.
Hindustan Unilever Limited v.Ahuvan Industries
Hindustan Unilever Limited filed a commercial IP suit against Ahuvan Industries alleging infringement of its copyrighted artwork (SUNLIGHT) and passing off through the use of deceptively similar labels and trade dress (MEJOL). The Bombay High Court granted leave to appeal, decreed the suit in favor of the plaintiff, and issued perpetual injunctions.
Amrit B Sanghavi v.Dhanraj Surana
The suit involved a dispute over trademark infringement and passing off. The court granted permanent injunctions restraining the defendants from infringing the plaintiff's registered mark 'ITONE' with the use of 'DITONE', and also restrained them from passing off the plaintiff's goods.
Hindustan Unilever Ltd. v.Tuba Chemical Works
Hindustan Unilever Ltd. filed a Commercial IP Suit against Tuba Chemical Works alleging infringement and passing off related to its registered trademarks in Class 03. The Bombay High Court granted leave under the Letters Patent Act, decreed the suit, and issued permanent injunctions against the defendant.
Unilever Plc v.Deluxe Ice Cream Factory
Unilever Plc filed a suit against Deluxe Ice Cream Factory alleging infringement and passing off related to its well-known trademarks, specifically FEAST and CORNETTO. The court granted perpetual injunctions restraining the defendant from using deceptively similar marks like CHOCO FEAST, CONATTO, and CONETO in relation to ice creams and frozen desserts.
Unilever Plc. v.Masqati Dairy Products
Unilever Plc. filed a commercial IP suit against Masqati Dairy Products regarding the alleged infringement and passing off related to its registered trade mark 'FEAST'. The court granted leave under Clause XIV of the Letters Patent Act and decreed the suit in favor of Unilever.
Tata Sky Limited v.National Internet Exchange Of India (NIXI)
Tata Sky Limited filed suit seeking permanent injunction against an individual (D-3) for passing off the 'TATA SKY' trade mark, and mandatory injunctions against NIXI (D-1) and GoDaddy (D-2) to prevent or extinguish deceptively similar domain names. The court granted decrees in favor of Tata Sky Limited against D-3, ordering permanent injunction, and against D-1 and D-2, directing the extinguishment of specific listed domain names.
Corum Hospitality v.WBSE IT Solutions Pvt. Ltd.
Corum Hospitality filed a Commercial IP Suit against WBSE IT Solutions Pvt. Ltd. alleging infringement and passing off concerning its registered trademarks, specifically 'THE BAR STOCK EXCHANGE'. The parties reached a settlement before the Bombay High Court.
Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy J v.Unknown
The Applicants sought an interim injunction restraining the Respondent from infringing their registered designs of operating tables and accessories, and from passing off the Respondent's products as theirs. The Respondent argued that the designs were not novel and had been in public use for decades. The Court found that while the balance of convenience was not clearly in favor of granting injunctive relief immediately, it directed the Respondent to maintain detailed quarterly accounts regarding sales and profits of similar products.
M/s.Apex Laboratories Pvt. Ltd. v.Bafna Biotech
M/s.Apex Laboratories Pvt. Ltd filed a civil suit against Bafna Biotech alleging trademark infringement, passing off, and copyright violation related to the 'ZINCOVIT' brand. The plaintiff sought permanent injunctions and damages due to the defendant using deceptively similar marks like ZINCOVITA on pharmaceutical products. Both parties ultimately reached a compromise, leading the Madras High Court to decree the suit based on the terms of the Memorandum of Compromise.
Triumphant Institute Of Management Education Pvt Ltd v.Time Plus Institute & Anr
The Delhi High Court granted an ad-interim injunction in favor of Triumphant Institute Of Management (T.I.M.E.) against Time Plus Institute, recognizing the strong likelihood of trademark infringement and passing off. The court found that the respondent's use of similar marks was likely to deceive the public and dilute T.I.M.E.'s established goodwill in the coaching industry. Furthermore, a local commissioner was appointed to seize infringing materials, reinforcing the protection of T.I.M.E.'s statutory and common law rights.
Rallis India Limited v.Rallis Pharmaceuticals & Anr.
Rallis India Limited filed a suit against Rallis Pharmaceuticals & Anr. alleging infringement and passing off related to the use of the trade mark 'RALLIS' in medicinal preparations, website domains, and business names. The court decreed the suit, granting perpetual injunctions against the defendants and ordering them to transfer the infringing domain name.
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