Delhi High Court Grants Interim Trademark Protection To PhysicsWallah, Orders Takedown Of Disparaging Posts

The Delhi High Court has granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction in favour of PhysicsWallah Limited, restraining former employee and rival coaching operator Nikhil Kumar Singh from using deceptively similar trademarks and from publishing disparaging online content.

A single-judge of Justice Jyoti Singh held that the videos and social media posts circulated by Singh are prima facie defamatory, disparaging, and abusive and are intended to tarnish PhysicsWallah's goodwill and reputation.

Finding a prima facie case of trademark infringement and disparagement, the Court observed,

“Law in the trademark regime grants protection from infringement to a registered proprietor of the mark and also shields from erosion of goodwill and reputation, which is a common law right associated with the mark. Disparagement through misleading and/or abusive statements, constitutes an unlawful interference in other party's commercial goodwill and is actionable in law.”

PhysicsWallah told the Court that it is the registered proprietor of several trademarks, including “Physics Wallah”, “PW” and multiple “WALLAH” formative marks, all of which enjoy statutory protection. The company said it has been operating since 2014 and has built substantial goodwill through continuous and extensive use of its marks in the education sector.

The company alleged that Singh, who runs a coaching institute under the name “AIR Cartel”, uploaded multiple videos and posts on YouTube and other platforms containing abusive and disparaging content targeting PhysicsWallah, its founder and its employees.

On a prima facie comparison of the marks, the Court found that the impugned marks were deceptively similar to PhysicsWallah's registered trademarks and were used for identical services. The Court said the use appeared calculated to denigrate the company's brand.

The court noted the heightened harm caused by online publication, observing, “Use of social media to disseminate disparaging content exacerbates the mischief, given the speed, reach and permanence of digital publications and has the potential to cause immediate and irreparable harm to trademark's reputation as also the goodwill of the effected party, which one builds over years of hard work and investments.”

Rejecting Singh's defence of freedom of speech at this stage, the court held that the content in question could not be treated as fair competition or protected commercial speech.

Accordingly, until the next date of hearing on March 27, 2026, the court restrained Singh and all persons acting on his behalf from using PhysicsWallah's trademarks or any deceptively similar marks and from publishing or circulating any content that disparages or denigrates the company's goodwill or reputation.

The Court also directed the takedown of the identified infringing and disparaging URLs and ordered social media platforms to block access in the event of non-compliance..