Passing off | Intellepedia

Caught without a Helmet: The false pleadings that sank RYNOX’s Trademark suit

Rhinoceros in a motorcycle helmet riding a cruiser bike, illustrating the RYNOX vs RHYNOX trademark passing off case before the Bombay High Court

Rynox Gears and Steelite India both hold registered trademarks for motorcycle-related products – RYNOX and RHYNOX respectively. When Rynox sued Steelite for trademark infringement and passing off before the Bombay High Court, the court had to ask: can one registered proprietor infringe another’s mark, and did Rynox’s own pleadings doom its case?

No Breeze For Atomberg’s Design Claim: Bombay High Court Says Pigeon Fan Looks Different

llustration of a pigeon beside vintage fans representing the Atomberg v Stove Kraft design infringement and passing off dispute.

In the case of Atomberg Technologies Private Limited v Stove Kraft Limited, the Bombay High Court dealt with a design infringement and passing off dispute relating to ceiling fans. Atomberg alleged that Stove Kraft’s Pigeon fan copied its registered fan design, but the Court refused interim relief after finding that the proper comparison had to be made with the registered design and not with later product models. The Court also found visible differences between the rival fans and held that Atomberg had not established goodwill in the particular get up of the suit fan for passing off.

Why Owning a Logo Doesn’t Mean Owning Its Letters – the A TO Z’ Trademark Dispute

Delhi High Court trademark infringement ruling on A TO Z vs MULTIVEIN AZ pharmaceutical marks – Alkem Laboratories v. Prevego Healthcare

Can a pharmaceutical giant claim exclusive rights over the letters ‘A’ and ‘Z’? The Delhi High Court, in Alkem Laboratories v. Prevego Healthcare, refused an interim injunction in an ‘A TO Z’ trademark dispute, holding the phrase descriptive and the rival mark non-infringing under Indian trademark law.

Trade Dress Passing Off: Delhi HC Restrains GAINDA from Copying HARPIC, COLIN & LIZOL Get-Up

Featured image for blog post on trade dress passing off — a magnifying glass revealing two identical blue cleaning bottle silhouettes surrounded by a burst of multicolour swatches, with the text: "Can You Own a Colour? Delhi HC Says Look at the Whole Picture"

The Delhi High Court has granted an interim injunction restraining Grand Chemical Works from selling cleaning products under the ‘GAINDA’ mark in trade dresses copying the distinctive get-up of Reckitt’s HARPIC, COLIN, and LIZOL brands. In this trade dress passing off case, the court had to decide whether an overall similarity in bottle shape, colour scheme, and packaging layout could overwhelm a prominently different house mark and how far a design that has expired can still live on as trade dress.

Seeing Red: Calcutta High Court Upholds Exide’s Trade Dress Injunction Against Amaron

Red and green automotive batteries facing each other divided by a sharp line — illustrating the trade dress passing off dispute between Exide and Amaron at the Calcutta High Court.

Can a battery brand spend years telling consumers that red means Exide, and then quietly launch its own red product line? The Calcutta High Court’s Division Bench says no, upholding Exide’s interim injunction against Amaron maker Amara Raja in a significant trade dress passing off ruling.

Can Non-Use of a Trademark Fuel a Passing Off Claim? Delhi High Court Says No

An old glass syrup bottle coated in dust and cobwebs, resting on a worn wooden shelf, its peeling label stamped with a bold red "Registered" mark - symbolising a trademark left unused and forgotten

The Delhi High Court dismissed Sana Herbals’ appeal for an interim injunction against Mohsin Dehlvi and Dehlvi Remedies, holding that prior user of the NOKUF trademark by the respondents, even if followed by decades of non-use, defeats a passing off claim where goodwill never preceded the defendant’s adoption of the mark.

Sonakshi Sinha Secures Interim Relief Against AI Chatbots and Unauthorized Use of Personality Rights

Silhouette of a woman with digital glitch effects on the left, golden scales of justice glowing on the right, with text about Sonakshi Sinha’s interim relief against AI misuse of personality rights.

Interim relief was granted by the Delhi High Court restraining unauthorised use of Sonakshi Sinha’s personality rights through AI chatbots and related listings. Takedown of identified infringing URLs was directed within 36 hours.

KENT can’t do it! Court proves it’s not a big FAN of Kent’s Brand Stretch, backs prior use

In the case of Kent Ro Systems Limited v. Kent Cables Private Limited, two businesses using the same mark KENT clashed over who could sell fans under that mark. One side relied on its strong reputation in water purifiers and home appliances. The other relied on earlier adoption of KENT for electrical goods and evidence of fan sales over several years. The Division Bench upheld the interim restraint against Kent RO and left the final rights to be decided at trial.

Can Anyone Own the “Forest”? Delhi High Court Applies Anti Dissection Rule in Forest Essentials case

Banner image of a dense forest with sunlight filtering through tall trees and a path running through it, featuring the text “Who owns the FOREST?” in a green label.

The Delhi High Court recently refused to grant an interim injunction in the dispute between Forest Essentials and Baby Forest Ayurveda. The court held that “BABY FOREST” was not deceptively similar to “FOREST ESSENTIALS,” and that the word **“FOREST,” being a dictionary word, could not be monopolised without strong evidence of secondary meaning. Applying the anti dissection rule, the court concluded that the marks must be assessed as a whole and declined to interfere with the Single Judge’s refusal of interim relief.

Shatrughan Sinha and the Legal Fight Against Digital Impersonation

The Shatrughan Sinha digital impersonation ruling confirms that personality rights are enforceable against AI-driven misuse and commercial exploitation in the digital age.