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When an application is submitted for registration of a mark which involves a word, then, even at the preliminary stage, a word mark search as well as a phonetic search shall be conducted, so that the possible marks which are phonetically similar to the mark applied for, are thrown up as suggested result.
So long as others do not use the mark, or any similar mark, the Delhi High Court opined that a finding of non-distinctiveness can ordinarily not be returned as, howsoever innocuous a mark may appear to be, if it is used only by one person, it would, in plain etymological terms, be distinctive.
User traffic may be diverted due to the same or similar domain name, which can result in a user mistakenly accessing one domain name instead of the one intended. A domain name might, therefore, have all characteristics of a trade mark and could result in an act of passing off.
A customer of average intelligence and imperfect recollection, who comes across the plaintiff's Royal Green Whisky on a particular date and, later, comes across the defendant's Royal Queen product, will be confused between the two.
The use of ‘VIVANTA VACATION CLUB' as a part of a trade name will likely deceive unwary consumers of their association with the mark ‘VIVANTA' as a domain name can have all the characteristics of a trade mark and could result in an act of passing off.
The Delhi High Court observed that ‘VOLVO' mark was blatantly infringed as branded stickers and infringing products bearing the said mark were found on the premises of the defendant.
In a rectification petition filed by Burger King Co. LLC against a family restaurant, the Delhi High Court stayed the operation of the mark ‘BURGER KING’ in Class 43 as it was identical to the well-known mark ‘BURGER KING’ and was likely to deceive public and create confusion.
The Delhi High Court granted permanent injunction in favour of Google LLC for its mark “GOOGLE” and awarded Rs. 10 lakhs as damages to Google LLC which was to be paid jointly and severally by the defendants.
The Delhi High Court granted permanent injunction to SanDisk LLC for its trade mark ‘SanDisk’ and ‘Cruzer blade’. Additionally, Rs. 5 lakhs were awarded as damages.
The use of the word MONK in most prominent manner shows dishonest intention on the part of the Defendant.
The Delhi High Court opined that ‘NOVAEGIS’ was, phonetically identical to ‘NOVARTIS’, when tested from the point of view of a customer of average intelligence and imperfect recollection and thus, granted ad-interim injunction in favour of ‘NOVARTIS’.
Google LLC’s download warning in respect of all third-party applications was a mere disclaimer and there was no case made out for trade mark infringement.
The Delhi High Court held that KFC cannot have any exclusive right in the word “CHICKEN”, but the Court directed the Trade Mark Registry to proceed for advertisement of application for the mark “CHICKEN ZINGER” in Class 29.
The Delhi High Court directed the proprietor of a small shop to pay Rs. 5 lakhs, failing which he would suffer incarceration in civil prison for a week as he violated the order of interim injunction passed earlier by the Court and continued to sell counterfeited products of louis Vuitton.
The Delhi High Court held that “SCHEZWAN CHUTENY” was a mere descriptive term and therefore, Radiant Indus Chem (P) Ltd. could not be stopped from using the same and the Court further held that if protection was granted to the mark “SCHEZWAN CHUTNEY”, then similar protection should also be granted to ‘Tamarind Chutney' or ‘Tomato Chutney', as they were also combinations of words in “English and Hindi”.
The Delhi High Court dismissed Subway's plea for injunction for its mark “SUBWAY” against Infinity Food's mark “SUBERB” in a trade mark infringement case and held that the appearance of Infinity Food's red and white “SUBERB” mark could not be said to be deceptively similar to Subway's device mark, “SUBWAY”.
The Delhi High Court held that the use of mark “AIVVA” by Aivva Enterprises (P) Ltd. was phonetically similar to the mark “AIWA” of Aiwa Co. Ltd. and thus, caused confusion in the market. Therefore, the Court confirmed ex-parte ad interim injunction in favour of the mark “AIWA” in a trade mark infringement suit.
The Delhi High Court allowed an appeal moved by the Armasuisse (Federal Agency of the Swiss Federation) and held that the marks ‘white cross on black background’, ‘white cross on red background’ and ‘SWISS MILITARY’ were all ineligible for trade mark registration in respect of textiles as it might suggest link to Swiss military establishment.
The Delhi High Court granted ad-interim injunction to New Bharat Overseas for its mark ‘TAJ MAHAL’ and restrained Kian Agro Processing (P) Ltd. from affixing the mark ‘TAJ MAHAL’ or any other mark deceptively similar to the registered marks for the purposes of selling or marketing rice in India or for export to any entity, till the pendency of the suit.
The Delhi High Court granted permanent injunction to RPG Enterprises Ltd. for its mark ‘RPG’. Further, RPG Developers (P) Ltd. were restrained from offering/rendering any services using the impugned trade mark ‘RPG’ and/or ‘RPG DEVELOPERS’ and/or artistic work which was a colourable imitation of the plaintiff’s artistic work or any other trade mark/artistic work deceptively similar to the ‘RPG’ marks of the plaintiff. Additionally, Rs. 3 lakhs were awarded as damages to the plaintiff.