Delhi High Court Protects Arjun Kapoor's Personality Rights Against AI Deepfakes, Unauthorised Merchandise

The Delhi High Court has made absolute its directions restraining the unauthorised commercial exploitation of actor Arjun Kapoor's name, image, likeness and other identifiable attributes, including through AI-generated content, deepfakes and merchandise.The Court has also directed the government's IT and telecom departments to take down specified infringing online links and allowed Kapoor to approach Meta and Google over subsequently discovered material.Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav, in an...

Delhi High Court To View Hindi Film Doosra In Sourav Ganguly's Personality Rights Case

The Delhi High Court has directed the makers of the Hindi film Doosra to arrange a screening before the Court to assess whether it infringes former Indian cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly's personality rights. The direction came on Friday, a day after the Court refused to stay the film's scheduled theatrical release. Justice Vinod Kumar directed the makers of the film to file their written statements and replies to the injunction application before the next hearing. The Court said the...

Delhi High Court Appoints Local Commissioner In Aakash's ₹2.13 Crore Student Fee Dispute

The Delhi High Court on 16 October appointed a Local Commissioner to inspect and preserve financial and electronic records at Aakash Educational Services Limited's former franchise centre in Gangapur City, Rajasthan. Justice Vinod Kumar allowed Aakash's application under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act, 1996, following allegations that franchisee Vaibhav Gupta had failed to remit over Rs. 2.13 crore in student fees and obstructed Aakash's audit. The Bench held: “In view of...

Delhi HC Orders ED To Release Seized Assets Of M3M Group Promoters After ₹404 Crore Property Attachment

The Delhi High Court has directed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to release cash, jewellery, vehicles, and fixed deposits seized from M3M Group promoters, noting that the agency had subsequently attached properties worth ₹404 crore belonging to the group.A coram of Justice Mini Pushkarna passed the order while hearing a writ petition filed by Roop Bansal and others challenging, among other things, the seizure of assets and freezing of bank accounts by the ED.The Court also directed the release...

Delhi High Court Permanently Injuncts Jabalpur Real Estate Developers From Using 'ANANTARA' Trademark

The Delhi High Court on 15 October permanently restrained Evergreen Dealcom Pvt. Ltd. and other defendants from using the 'ANANTARA' trademark or any identical or deceptively similar mark for real estate, hospitality, residential and allied services. A Bench of Justice Purushaindra Kumar Kaurav passed the summary judgment in a trademark infringement and passing off suit filed by MHG IP Holding Singapore Pte. Ltd., M & H Management Limited, and MHG Management (India) Private Limited against...

Delhi High Court Restrains Herbax Ayurveda From Selling Joint Pain Products Under 'FASTACTIVE' Mark

The Delhi High Court on 13 October restrained Herbax Ayurveda and others from dealing in pharmaceutical preparations under the mark 'FASTACTIVE', allegedly infringing Nectar Biopharma Private Limited's registered trademark. A Bench of Justice Vikas Mahajan granted an interim injunction after finding a prima facie case of trademark infringement and passing off in favour of Nectar Biopharma. Nectar Biopharma told the Court that it held the registered trademark 'FASTACTIVE' in Class 5. It alleged...

Delhi High Court Directs Bikanervala To Remove 'ANANDAM' Products From Website Within 24 Hours

The Delhi High Court on 16 October directed Bikanervala Foods Private Limited to remove all products bearing the “ANANDAM” mark from its website within 24 hours in a trademark dispute with Anandam Sweets Private Limited. Justice Vikas Mahajan also directed Bikanervala's authorised representative who gave the undertaking to remain physically present at the next hearing. The Bench observed: “Having regard to the rival contentions, this Court is of the view that it is not the case of the...

Delhi High Court Grants Ex Parte Injunction Protecting REZONI Marks And Copyrighted Marketing Material

The Delhi High Court on 1 October granted an ex parte ad-interim injunction to Ritvik Bansal, proprietor of 7R, restraining multiple defendants from using his copyrighted marketing material and REZONI trademarks. Justice A. J. Bhambhani passed the order after finding that Bansal had established a prima facie case. He stated: “Based on a preliminary appreciation of the matter, this court is of the view that the plaintiff has succeeded in making-out a prima-facie case in its favour; that the...

Mere Location Of Customs Headquarters In Delhi Does Not Confer Territorial Jurisdiction: Delhi High Court

The Delhi High Court has dismissed a writ petition challenging the seizure of imported stainless-steel coils at the Inland Container Depot (ICD), Dadri, Uttar Pradesh, holding that the location of the Customs Commissionerate's headquarters in Delhi does not confer territorial jurisdiction on the Court when no part of the cause of action has arisen within its jurisdiction.The Division Bench of Justices Avneesh Jhingan and Shail Jain held that the dispute concerning the seizure of goods and their...

Delhi High Court Says Customs Broker's Licence Need Not Be Revoked For Every CBLR Violation

The Delhi High Court has upheld the view that revocation of a customs broker's licence is not warranted for every violation of the Customs Brokers Licensing Regulations, 2018 (CBLR), and that the punishment must be proportionate to the nature of the violation.The Division Bench of Justices Avneesh Jhingan and Shail Jain endorsed the view while dismissing an appeal filed by the Customs Department challenging a CESTAT order which had declined to revoke Respondent's licence over its alleged role in...

Customs Dept Takes “Sweet Time” To Move Files Despite Panel Of Lawyers: Delhi HC Refuses To Condone Delay

The Delhi High Court has refused to condone a delay of 154 days in an appeal filed by the Customs Department, observing that a government department cannot take its own sweet time to move files and then seek condonation of delay.The Division Bench of Justices Avneesh Jhingan and Shail Jain held that administrative negligence and the leisurely movement of files cannot constitute sufficient grounds for condoning delay in filing an appeal, particularly when the department has its own panel of...

GST Portal Glitch Led To Multiple Demand Summaries; Delhi High Court Directs Correction Within 15 Days

The Delhi High Court has directed the Goods and Services Tax (GST) Department to rectify multiple demand summaries generated due to a technical glitch in the GST portal within 15 days.The Division Bench of Justices Anil Kshetarpal and Bharat Parashar also clarified that the statutory pre-deposit for filing an appeal must be calculated on the demand actually confirmed in the assessment order and not on the erroneously repeated amount.It directed the Department to ensure that the corrected...