Delhi High Court Restrains Parth Law House, Others From Selling Counterfeit LexisNexis Law Textbooks

The Delhi High Court has recently granted a temporary injunction in favour of LexisNexis, restraining Parth Law House and others from printing, distributing, or selling counterfeit copies of its legal textbooks.

A coram of Justice Jyoti Singh observed that the plaintiff had established a prima facie case and that interim protection was warranted pending further proceedings. “Having heard learned Senior Counsel for the Plaintiff and upon examination of the documents, I am of the view that Plaintiff has made out a prima facie case for grant of ex parte ad interim injunction,” the Court held.

LexisNexis, a division of RELX India Pvt Ltd, operates as a legal and professional publishing company engaged in providing legal research tools, publications, and digital solutions in India. The “LexisNexis” trademark is registered in the name of Reed Elsevier Properties Inc., rebranded as RELX in 2015, a corporation organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, USA.

The suit concerns three major textbooks published by the plaintiff: Pollock & Mulla-The Indian Contract & Specific Relief Acts (17th Edition), NS Bindra-Interpretation of Statutes (Thirteenth Edition), and Mulla-The Code of Civil Procedure (Twentieth Edition).

According to Lexis Nexis by virtue of long, continuous and extensive use, the titles of these books along with the names of the authors, have come to be associated with it. The books are immensely popular among students and professionals and enjoy a substantial market reputation.

It was alleged that the defendants are engaged in printing, distributing, and selling counterfeit textbooks under the plaintiff's registered trademarks. The Court recorded that the investigation revealed that Parth Law House is a retailer of the infringing textbooks, while the other defendant is engaged in manufacturing and distribution. The plaintiff has also impleaded an unknown infringer, apprehending that more parties may be involved.

The plaintiff contended that these publications copied both the text and the registered trademarks and that the counterfeit books were exact replicas of the originals, albeit of inferior quality. It was further argued that the distinction between the original and counterfeit books could be seen from the holograms, which in the counterfeit copies could be wiped out by rubbing, and from differences in printing quality, binding and QR code functionality.

Agreeing with the submissions, the Court observed that the plaintiff had made out a prima facie case. It held that the balance of convenience lay in favour of the plaintiff and that irreparable harm would be caused if interim protection was not granted.

“In my prima facie view, Defendants are manufacturing and selling counterfeits of Plaintiff's textbooks as aforementioned, with inferior quality and a hologram which is easily wiped out by rubbing,” the Court noted.

It further observed that the Lexis Nexix has built forma formidable reputation and goodwill in the market and that by selling counterfeits, the defendants were not only harming the plaintiff's reputation but also public interest, particularly that of students and professionals purchasing the textbooks.

Accordingly, till the next date of hearing, the Court restrained the defendants, their partpartners/proprietors,principal officers, affiliates, servants, agents, representatives, dealers, all others acting on their behalf from publishing, selling, offering for sale, advertising,directly or indirectly dealing in  publication, sale of books that are substantial reproductions of the plaintiff's textbooks, amounting to infringement of the plaintiff's copyright and tarnishment of its reputation.

The Court directed the plaintiff to promptly serve copies of the plaint, injunction application and supporting documents on the defendants and file proof of such service within two weeks.

The matter has been listed for further hearing on February 26, 2026.

For Plaintiff : Senior Advocate J. Sai Deepak, Advocates Shoumendu Mukherji, Megha Sharma, Aniruddha Ghosh, Sidhi Pramodh Rayudu and Surabhi Tuli,