Delhi High Court Issues Summons On Actor, BJP MP Kangana Ranaut's Personality Rights Plea

The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued summons in a suit filed by Bollywood actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut seeking protection of her personality rights. Justice Vikas Mahajan also issued notice on Ranaut's application seeking an interim injunction against the alleged misuse of her persona. Appearing for Ranaut, her counsel submitted that the actress was being targeted through pornographic and obscene material circulated on social media. The counsel also drew the court's attention to...

Delhi High Court To Pass Order On Vijay Deverakonda's Plea Seeking Protection Of Personality Rights

The Delhi High Court on Thursday said that it will pass an order on actor Vijay Deverakonda's plea seeking protection of his personality rights. Justice Vikas Mahajan briefly heard the matter and issued summons in the suit and notice on Deverakonda's application seeking an interim injunction. Senior Advocate Swathi Sukumar, appearing for the actor, submitted that Deverakonda was aggrieved by fake endorsements and impersonation, with various individuals allegedly posing as his agents. She also...

Trademark Registry Cannot Refuse Renewal While Mark Remains On Register: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court has directed the Trade Marks Registry to accept a renewal application for the "THOTHA" safety matches trademark, holding that the Registrar cannot turn away the registered owner of a mark that has not been removed from the register.Justice A.D. Maria Clete observed, "So long as the mark stands on the register in the petitioner's name, the Registrar cannot refuse her renewal fee. The message on the portal is not an order under the Act."R. Booma Rani runs Ayyanar Match Works...

Delhi High Court Refuses Japan Tobacco's Plea To Remove 'CAMEL COLLECTION' Copyright Registration

The Delhi High Court has dismissed a petition by Japan Tobacco Inc. seeking removal of a 1997 copyright registration for the “CAMEL” and “CAMEL COLLECTION” artistic work held by garment company The Central Wearhouse. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela held that Japan Tobacco had failed to establish that it was the “First Owner” of the original artistic work under Section 17 of the Copyright Act, 1957. The court observed that trademark registrations or claims of prior use, by themselves, could not...

Wholesale Reproduction Of ANI Videos On YouTube Not Fair Dealing: Delhi High Court Restraints RSY News

The Delhi High Court has held that the wholesale reproduction of ten news videos of multimedia news agency ANI on YouTube cannot be regarded as fair dealing for reporting current events when the copied material operates as a substitute for the original works. The court directed Patna-based RSY News to take down the infringing content from all platforms, including its four YouTube channels. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, in a judgment dated September 29, 2026, permanently restrained RSY...

Delhi High Court Declares “DS Group” And Logo Well-Known Trademarks

The Delhi High Court has declared the DS Group trademark and its corresponding logo as well-known trademarks. It also permanently restrained five people and entities sued over a website that allegedly offered fake distributorships of Rajnigandha, the group's popular mouth-freshener brand.Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav passed the judgment on September 25 in a suit brought by DS Intellectual Properties LLP and Dharampal Satyapal Limited, the companies that hold rights in the DS Group and...

Patent Revocation Can Be Sought Independently Or By Counter Claim, Cannot Be Curtailed: Madras High Court

The Madras High court has ruled that a party facing a patent infringement suit can seek revocation of the patent either through a separate revocation petition or by filing a counterclaim in the infringement suit. It cannot be forced to pursue only the counter claim.“This statutory right cannot be whittled down by forcing the litigant to choose a remedy by only filing a counter claim,” Justice K. Kumaresh Babu observed. “Such statutory rights available to the litigant cannot be curtailed to the...

Delhi High Court Directs Toplad To Change Name, Finds 'TOPLAD' Too Nearly Resembles 'TOPLAND'

The Delhi High court has directed Toplad Private Limited to change its name, holding that “TOPLAD” too nearly resembles the registered “TOPLAND” trademark of Topland Engines Private Limited. “Except for the letter 'N', both the words completely resemble each other and to the mind of a person with average intelligence, the mere negation of the letter 'N' would not make the names visually or phonetically dissimilar,” Justice Amit Mahajan observed. The court set aside the May 15, 2023 order of...

Delhi High Court Restrains Pune Seller From Using "Max Volvo", "Max Volwo" Marks In Volvo's Trademark Suit

The Delhi High Court has restrained a Pune-based lubricant seller from manufacturing or selling engine oil, gear oil and other lubricants under the marks "Max Volvo" and "Max Volwo."The court held that these infringe the trademark rights of Swedish auto company Volvo. Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav passed the ad interim injunction on September 24 in a suit filed by Aktiebolaget Volvo and two other group companies, which together own and use the "VOLVO" trademark globally and in India,...

Should 20-Year Patent Term Start From Filing Or Grant Despite Delay In Grant? Supreme Court To Decide

The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice on a special leave petition challenging the constitutional validity of the law under which a patent's 20-year term runs from the date of filing, even where years of that term pass before the patent is granted. A bench of Justice Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Justice Alok Aradhe issued notice on the plea. The court had, on September 21, appointed Advocate Kruttika Vijay as amicus curiae to assist it. The petition challenges an April 22, 2025,...

'AI Tools Worse Than A Gun': Delhi HC Orders Takedown Of Content Infringing Drishti IAS Founder's Personality Rights

The Delhi High Court has ordered the takedown of fake social media profiles, deepfake endorsements, and unauthorised lecture clips using Drishti IAS founder Vikas Divya Kirti's identity. However, it left open for later arguments the question of whether videos that clip and re-caption his lectures in a way that allegedly distorts their meaning amounted to copyright or personality rights infringement.During the hearing, Justice A.J. Bhambhani raised concerns about powerful tools that can be used...

Delhi High Court Restrains 70 Businesses From Using Agarwal Packers & Movers Trademark

The Delhi High Court has restrained 70 defendants from using the “AGARWAL PACKERS & MOVERS” trademark or deceptively or confusingly similar marks, including through Google Search and Google Business Profile listings, after Agarwal Packers and Movers Ltd alleged that third parties were using its name and identity in business listings.Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav found a prima facie case that such listings could confuse people looking for packing, moving or relocation services. The court...