Intellectual Property Rights Weekly Round-Up: January 19-25, 2026

NOMINAL INDEXKarnataka Cooperative v. Vinod Kanji Shah & Anr., 2026 LLBiz HC (MAD) 23 Shambhunath & Bros v. Jai Rajendra Impex Pvt. Ltd. & Anr., 2026 LLBiz HC (MAD) 25The Procter @ Gamble Company v. IPI India Private Limited, 2026 LLBiz HC (MAD) 28Dr. Dulal Kumar De v. Union of India & Ors., 2026 LLBiz HC (CAL) 24 The Supreme Industries Limited v. Moorthi Rabeha, 2026 LLBiz HC (BOM) 41Alkem Laboratories Limited v. Prevego Healthcare, 2026 LLBiz HC (DEL) 53X and Anr v. John Doe...

Government Proposes Protection For Metaverse Designs, Virtual Products Under Designs Act

The Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) under the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has proposed bringing metaverse-based and other virtual designs within the scope of India's design protection law under amendments to the Designs Act, 2000. The proposal forms part of a concept note issued by the department on Friday and placed in the public domain for stakeholder consultation. DPIIT has invited comments within 30 days The concept note states that the Designs Act...

Delhi High Court Revives ITC's Challenge To Philip Morris's Non-Tobacco Nicotine Patent

The Delhi High Court has revived ITC Limited's challenge to a Philip Morris patent covering a non-tobacco nicotine product after setting aside a 2024 Patent Office order that had rejected ITC's opposition.In a judgment dated January 12, 2026, Justice Jyoti Singh allowed an appeal filed by ITC, holding that the impugned order suffered from a lack of independent application of mind and was largely a verbatim reproduction of the patentee's submissions and the recommendations of the Opposition...

Delhi High Court Sets Aside Rejection Of Comforter System Patent, Orders Fresh Review

The Delhi High Court has set aside a Patent Office order rejecting a patent application filed by Jesal Vimal Jetha for a therapeutic comforter system, holding that the refusal suffered from procedural infirmities and violation of principles of natural justice for non-consideration of applicant's responses to subsequent objections raised by Patent Office.Justice Tushar Rao Gedela delivered the judgment on January 23, 2026, while allowing an appeal against a 2020 order by which the Patent Office...

Delhi High Court Awards ₹81 Lakh to Merck, Sun Pharma In Diabetes Drug Patent Infringement Case

The Delhi High Court on Friday awarded over Rs 81 lakh in damages and costs to US-based pharmaceutical company Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. and its Indian licensee, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., in a patent infringement suit concerning the anti-diabetic drug Sitagliptin and its pharmaceutical combinations.In a judgment dated January 23, 2026, Justice Tushar Rao Gedela decreed the suit in favour of the pharmaceutical companies, holding that unauthorized manufacture and export of the...

Delhi High Court Grants Interim Relief To L'Oréal, Restrains Circulation Of AI-Generated Video On Maybelline

The Delhi High Court has restrained a social media content creator from circulating an allegedly AI-generated video or any other posts targeting Maybelline products, holding that the unsubstantiated claims could irreparably damage L'Oréal India's brand and consumer trust.Justice Jyoti Singh passed the order on January 20, 2026, observing that the continued circulation of the disputed content would cause irreparable harm to the goodwill and reputation of L'Oréal India Private Limited and its...

Delhi High Court Upholds Interim Ban on Jaipur Restaurant Chain's Use Of 'DASAPRAKASH' Trademark

The Delhi High Court has upheld an interim injunction restraining a Jaipur-based company, Dasaprakash Restaurant and Ice Cream Parlour Private Limited, from using the “DASAPRAKASH” trademark. The restraint covers ice creams, restaurants, and allied goods and services. The court held that the continued use of the mark was prima facie unauthorized and amounted to trademark infringement. A Division Bench of Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla delivered the judgment on January...

'VAPORIN' Doesn't Infringe 'VICKS VAPORUB' Mark: Madras High Court Dismisses P&G's Plea

The Madras High Court has rejected Procter & Gamble's attempt to cancel the trademarks “VAPORIN” and “VAPORIN COLD RUB,” holding that the marks are validly registered in favour of IPI India and are not deceptively similar to P&G's well-known product “VICKS VAPORUB”.A Single-Judge Bench of Justice N. Senthilkumar, in an order dated January 6, 2026, dismissed a batch of trademark rectification pleas filed by P&G seeking removal of IPI's registrations on the ground of deceptive...

Bombay High Court Grants Interim Injunction Against 'SUPREMES GOLD' In Supreme Industries Trademark Suit

The Bombay High Court has temporarily restrained PVC pipe maker Moorthi Rabeha from using the mark “SUPREMES GOLD” after finding a prima facie infringement of Supreme Industries' “SUPREME” trademark.The order was passed on January 19, 2026, by Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh while deciding an interim application in a suit filed by Supreme Industries alleging trademark and copyright infringement, as well as passing off, by the rival manufacturer. The Court observed that, “An average consumer would...

'KHADI' Is a Well-Known Mark: Delhi High Court Temporarily Injuncts Use Of 'KHADI VEDA' By Cosmetics Firm

The Delhi High Court has temporarily restrained an Ahmedabad-based cosmetic goods manufacturer, Enduring Body Care LLP, and its associated entities from using the mark “KHADI VEDA” or any other deceptively similar variant of “KHADI” for any goods or services.The Court held that the use of the disputed mark prima facie infringed the registered and well-known 'KHADI' trademarks of the Khadi and Village Industries Commission (KVIC).Justice Tushar Rao Gedela passed the ex-parte ad-interim injunction...

Delhi High Court Refuses To Lift Interim Injunction On Mobile Brick-Making Machines In Patent Dispute

The Delhi High Court has refused to lift an interim injunction in a patent dispute over mobile brick-making machines, holding that while the rival machines are not identical, they appear to share the core patented concept of making and laying bricks as the machine moves.A Division Bench of Justice Dinesh Mehta and Justice Vimal Kumar Yadav pronounced the judgment on January 16, 2026, dismissing an appeal filed by Choudhary against a 2024 interim order passed in favour of SNPC, a Haryana-based...

Failure To Provide Translation Vitiates Trademark Registration: Madras High Court Cancels 'THUFAN' Mark

The Madras High Court has cancelled the registration of the trademark “THUFAN” in Telugu and Tamil, holding that failure to provide mandatory transliteration and translation while advertising the mark deprived affected parties of their statutory right to oppose it.In a judgment dated December 12, 2025, a Division Bench of Justice Dr. G. Jayachandran and Justice Mummineni Sudheer Kumar allowed appeals filed by Kolkata-based fan maker Shambhunath & Bros., which uses the mark “TOOFAN”. The...