Delhi High Court Temporarily Restrains Alleged Fraudsters In Recruitment Scam From Using HCL Marks

The Delhi High Court on 24 August restrained five newly added defendants from using HCL Corporation's trademarks, holding that the company had made out a prima facie case of trademark infringement and passing off in a suit concerning an alleged fraudulent recruitment racket operated in its name.

Justice Jyoti Singh extended the interim injunction earlier granted on 10 February 2026 after HCL alleged that the defendants were colluding with the original defendants to impersonate its employees or agents and lure members of the public with fake job offers through fraudulent emails, calls and messages, while collecting money from them. The Bench held:

"Plaintiff has made out a prima facie case for grant of ex parte ad interim injunction against Defendants No.20 to 24. Balance of convenience lies in favour of Plaintiff and it is likely to suffer irreparable harm in case the interim injunction, as prayed for, is not granted."

HCL had originally filed the suit against defendants allegedly operating the scam. During the proceedings, the Court allowed the impleadment of Defendants No. 20 to 23 based on details furnished by some of the defendants already impleaded in the suit.

Subsequently, it sought to implead Defendant No. 24 after the State Bank of India furnished KYC details linked to a disputed transaction. According to HCL, the details identified the individual as another person allegedly impersonating an HCL employee through fraudulent communications.

The Court restrained Defendants No. 20 to 24, and anyone acting on their behalf, from using HCL's trademarks, including "HCL" and "HCL Healthcare", or any deceptively similar marks, in relation to healthcare services or other products.

It also directed the defendants to destroy all material bearing the marks, including brochures, digital files and forms, and restrained them from using certain email addresses identified by HCL.

The matter has been listed before the Court on 14 December 2026, while admission and denial of documents will be carried out before the Joint Registrar in the interim.