Author: ADVOCATE AJAY AMITABH SUMAN

Mongia Steel Ltd. vs. Saluja Steel & Power Pvt. Ltd. – Trademark & Copyright Dispute Case Overview The case of Mongia Steel Limited Vs. Saluja Steel and Power Private Limited, decided by the High Court of Jharkhand at Ranchi on 17 July 2025, revolves around a trademark and copyright dispute that highlights the importance of procedural compliance, conditional withdrawal of suits, and the boundaries of initiating fresh litigation. This case underscores the judiciary’s emphasis on enforcing procedural rigour to prevent the misuse of legal processes and also addresses the limitation on reinserting causes of action that were previously abandoned. The…

E. R. Squibb and Sons, LLC & Ors. Vs. Zydus Lifesciences Limited – Delhi High Court Judgment Analysis Intersection of Biopharma Innovation and Patent Law The intersection of biopharmaceutical innovation and patent law stands at the heart of the recent judgment delivered by the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi in E. R. Squibb and Sons, LLC & Ors. v. Zydus Lifesciences Limited. This decision is significant for its detailed analysis of patent claim construction, the scope of patent infringement in biosimilar development, and the jurisprudence surrounding interim relief in quia timet actions. The matter concerns Indian Patent No. IN 340060…

Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. v. Controller of Patents and Designs & Anr. Date of Order: 3rd February 2023 Case Number: C.A. (COMM.IPD-PAT) 22/2022 Neutral Citation: 2023/DHC/000774 Name of Court: High Court of Delhi Name of Judge: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Amit Bansal Overview The judgment delivered by the Hon’ble High Court of Delhi in Société des Produits Nestlé S.A. v. Controller of Patents and Designs & Anr., decided on 3rd February 2023, marks a significant clarification in the Indian patent law regime concerning the scope of Section 3(i), the permissibility of claim amendments under Section 59, and the evidentiary thresholds…

Trademark Dispute: Uto Nederland B.V. v. Tilaknagar Industries Ltd. The dispute arises between Uto Nederland B.V., a Dutch entity, and Tilaknagar Industries Ltd., an Indian spirits manufacturer, over the trademarks ‘MANSION HOUSE’ and ‘SAVOY CLUB’. At the heart of the conflict lies the question of whether a conditional ceding of these marks in 1987 resulted in a permanent transfer of ownership to Tilaknagar or whether the trademarks automatically reverted to UTO upon breach of conditions as stipulated in the ceding arrangement. The High Court of Bombay’s Commercial Appellate Division, in a detailed judgment delivered on 16 July 2025, adjudicated upon…

Subhash Chandra Agrawal v. Central Public Information Officer – RTI Judgment Date of Order: 10 July 2025 Case Number: Writ Petition No. 10887 of 2023 Neutral Citation: 2025:BHC-AS:28136-DB Name of Court: High Court of Judicature at Bombay Judges: Hon’ble Mr. Justice M.S. Sonak and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Jitendra Jain Introduction In the landmark decision pronounced on 10 July 2025 in Subhash Chandra Agrawal v. Central Public Information Officer, the High Court of Judicature at Bombay considered the delicate balance between transparency mandated by the Right to Information Act, 2005 and the competing rights of privacy, fiduciary obligations, and third-party interests.…

Registrar of Trade Marks v. Hamdard National Foundation (India) In the annals of Indian trademark law, few cases illustrate the delicate balance between descriptive words and distinctive marks as vividly as Registrar of Trade Marks v. Hamdard National Foundation (India). Decided on March 4, 1980, by the Delhi High Court, this dispute pits the Registrar of Trade Marks against a renowned manufacturer of medicinal preparations over the registrability of the word “SAFI”. At its heart, the case explores whether a term with potential descriptive undertones can transcend its dictionary meaning to become a badge of origin, capable of distinguishing one…

Case Summary The case of Kamal Raheja v. Hahnemann Pure Drug Co. decided by the Division Bench of the High Court of Delhi on 8 July 2025, presented a significant question in trademark law: whether the suspension of a plaintiff’s drug licence precludes them from seeking an injunction to protect a registered trademark under the Trade Marks Act, 1999? The appeal arose from an order of the Commercial Court that had made an ex parte ad interim injunction absolute, restraining the appellant from using the mark ‘MARKS GO’, which was identical to the respondent’s registered trademark. The judgment explored the…

Johnson & Johnson Pte. Ltd. Vs. Mr. Abbireddi Satish Kumar & Ors. – Case Summary Johnson & Johnson Pte. Ltd. Vs. Mr. Abbireddi Satish Kumar & Ors. Date of Order: 15 July 2025 Case Number: CS(COMM) 801/2023 Neutral Citation: 2025:DHC:5622 Name of Court: High Court of Delhi Judge: Hon’ble Ms. Justice Mini Pushkarna Introduction The High Court of Delhi, in the recent case of Johnson & Johnson Pte. Ltd. v. Mr. Abbireddi Satish Kumar & Ors., addressed significant questions surrounding trade mark infringement and passing off within the highly competitive market of consumer healthcare and energy drinks. This dispute involved…

R.G. Anand Vs Delux Films & Ors. – Landmark Copyright Case R.G. Anand Vs Delux Films & Ors. (1978) Date of Order: August 18, 1978 Case No.: Civil Appeal No. 2030 of 1968 Neutral Citation: 1978 AIR 1613, 1979 SCR (1) 218, 1978 SCC (4) 118 Name of Court: Supreme Court of India Judges: Syed Murtaza Fazalali, Jaswant Singh, R.S. Pathak Introduction In the annals of Indian copyright law, few cases have shaped the understanding of intellectual property protection as profoundly as R.G. Anand Vs Delux Films & Ors., decided by the Supreme Court of India on August 18, 1978.…

Asian Paints Ltd. Vs Ram Babu – Victim’s Right of Appeal under CrPC Asian Paints Limited Vs Ram Babu & Anr. Date of Order: 14 July 2025 Case Number: SLP (Crl.) No.9888 of 2024 Neutral Citation: 2025 INSC 828 Name of Court: Supreme Court of India Judges: Hon’ble Mr. Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Hon’ble Mr. Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra Overview The case of Asian Paints Limited Vs Ram Babu & Anr., decided by the Supreme Court of India on 14 July 2025, examined the scope of the right of a “victim” under the proviso to Section 372 of the Code…