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IPRMENTLAW WEEKLY HIGHLIGHTS (AUG 26- SEP 1, 2024)
Bombay Excessive Courtroom Grants Interim Aid to Burger King in Trademark Infringement Case
The Burger King Company had sought a everlasting injunction from the Bombay Excessive Courtroom with the intention to restrain Pune’s Burger King restaurant from exploiting its trademark ‘Burger King’.
The Bombay Excessive Courtroom has granted interim reduction to Burger King Company on this trademark infringement case towards the Pune-based burger additionally utilizing the identify, ‘Burger King.’ The choice follows an attraction by Burger King difficult a July 16, 2014, order by Pune district choose Sunil Gangadharrao Vedpathak, which had been in favor of the Pune restaurant. The Excessive Courtroom has now issued an ad-interim keep on that order.
The Division Bench of Justices A.S. Chandurkar and Rajesh Patil dominated that the ad-interim keep would stay in impact till the following listening to, scheduled for September 6.
Case: Burger King Company v. Anahita Irani and One other
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Airtel to Shut Down Wynk Music, Companions with Apple for Content material Presents
Airtel is about to discontinue its Wynk Music app, because the telecommunications large enters a strategic partnership with Apple to offer prospects with unique music and video content material. Later this yr, Airtel prospects in India will obtain particular provides for Apple TV+ and Apple Music, marking a big shift in Airtel’s content material supply technique. The corporate has confirmed that each one workers of Wynk Music shall be absorbed inside the broader Airtel ecosystem.
As a part of the brand new deal, Apple TV+ shall be built-in into Airtel’s Xstream platform, which shall be out there via premium subscription plans. The monetary phrases and pricing particulars of this partnership stay undisclosed.
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PIL Filed in Punjab and Haryana Excessive Courtroom In opposition to Kangana Ranaut’s Movie ‘Emergency’
A Public Curiosity Litigation (PIL) has been filed within the Punjab and Haryana Excessive Courtroom looking for the cancellation or revocation of the certification granted to the movie ‘Emergency,’ starring Kangana Ranaut. The petitioners, Gurinder Singh and one other particular person, allege that the film targets the Sikh neighborhood by projecting false and misguided info, thereby making an attempt to “destroy the social material of Punjab” and selling hatred between spiritual teams.
The PIL requests that the Union of India and the Central Board of Movie Certification (CBFC) be directed to delete the objectionable scenes from the movie, which is scheduled for launch on September 6.
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Former Indian Ocean Band Members File Criticism Alleging Non-Fee of Royalty
Susmit Sen, a former member of the Indian Ocean band, and Sunita Chakravarty, the widow of co-founder of the band Ashim Chakravarty, lodged a police criticism towards present band members Rahul Ram and Amit Kilam. The criticism, filed in New Delhi, additionally named Kandisa Music Productions Pvt Ltd, the corporate managing the band.
Based on reviews, Sen and Chakravarty accused Ram and Kilam of failing to pay royalties since 2020-21. The allegations embrace costs of felony conspiracy, felony breach of belief, dishonest, misappropriation, falsification of accounts, cash laundering, and embezzlement. The complainants declare they’ve been disadvantaged of royalties amounting to over half a crore rupees per particular person, with Chakravarty not receiving any funds since 2021.
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OpenAI Asserts Truthful Use Protection in Response to Copyright Allegations
OpenAI responded in California federal courtroom to allegations that it misused the works of authors, together with Michael Chabon, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and comic Sarah Silverman, to coach its synthetic intelligence language mannequin. The corporate defended its practices, arguing that its use of copyrighted content material constitutes honest use, important for educating fashions just like the one behind ChatGPT to generate authentic materials.
In its courtroom submitting, OpenAI said, “The fashions study, as all of us do, from what has come earlier than,” emphasizing that the honest use doctrine exists to foster the event of latest concepts that construct on earlier works. Whereas each OpenAI and Meta beforehand persuaded the judges to dismiss some claims, the courts have but to deal with the basic challenge of whether or not coaching AI fashions utilizing internet-scraped materials constitutes widespread copyright infringement.
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Vee Information Copyright Infringement Lawsuit In opposition to Guru Randhawa and T-Sequence
Vikram Shapribhan Singh, professionally often called Vee, has filed a lawsuit towards singer Guru Randhawa, T-Sequence, and Hungama Digital Media Leisure Pvt. Ltd., within the Bombay Excessive Courtroom, alleging copyright infringement. The case facilities on claims that T-Sequence unlawfully used Vee’s sound recordings, works, and performances with out correct authorization, leading to important monetary and reputational injury.
The dispute dates again to Vee’s collaboration with Guru Randhawa, starting in December 2016. Vee contends that Randhawa had promised monetary compensation, applicable credit, and a 50 p.c share of publishing royalties for his contributions. Nonetheless, these guarantees had been by no means formalized, and Vee claims he was not credited for a number of tracks, together with the hit track “Excessive Rated Gabru.”
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Delhi Excessive Courtroom Declares ‘Boroline’ a Properly-Recognized Trademark
The Delhi Excessive Courtroom has formally acknowledged ‘Boroline’ as a “well-known trademark” underneath the Commerce Marks Act and has ordered an organization to vary its product’s commerce gown to keep away from resemblance to the widely known antiseptic cream. The courtroom emphasised the numerous goodwill and market recognition of the ‘Boroline’ trademark, noting its recognition not solely in India but in addition in international locations like Oman and Turkey.
The ruling got here in response to a lawsuit filed by G D Prescription drugs, the proprietor of the Boroline model, towards Cento Merchandise (India) for manufacturing and promoting a “deceptively comparable” product named ‘Borobeauty.’ It was argued that Cento Merchandise adopted Boroline’s distinct “commerce gown,” particularly the darkish inexperienced tube with an octagonal black cap, for its soothing cream, which constituted a violation of mental property legislation.
The courtroom restrained Cento Merchandise from persevering with to fabricate and promote ‘Borobeauty’ in its present type and directed the corporate to switch its commerce gown and trademark to make sure they’re utterly distinct from Boroline’s well-known model id.
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Delhi Excessive Courtroom Orders Removing of Fraudulent Web sites Misusing the ‘Mudrex’ Trademark
The Delhi Excessive Courtroom issued a directive to take down a number of web sites which are allegedly misusing the emblems related to the crypto-investment platform “Mudrex” to deceive prospects.
The plaintiff accused numerous entities of unauthorized use of the “Mudrex” trademark, claiming that the web sites had been operated in a dishonest method to mislead the general public into making investments. The courtroom, recognizing the potential for irreparable hurt to the plaintiff, granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction, restraining the defendants from utilizing the “Mudrex” emblems or any deceptively comparable marks.
Justice Mini Pushkarna, within the interim order, directed the offending events, recognized as John Doe or unknown entities, to take down the infringing web sites inside 48 hours. The courtroom additional clarified that if the defendants fail to conform, the competent authorities would take instant motion to dam entry to the fraudulent web sites.
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Supreme Courtroom Stays Notification issued by Ministry of Ayush
The Supreme Courtroom stayed a notification issued by the Ministry of Ayush that had omitted Rule 170 of the Medication and Cosmetics Guidelines, 1945 that prohibits deceptive commercials of Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani medication. A bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta said that the ministry’s notification was in direct violation of the Courtroom’s earlier order.
On Might 7, 2024, the Supreme Courtroom had mandated that earlier than any commercial is issued, a self-declaration have to be obtained from the advertisers, following the rules laid down by the Ministry. Regardless of this directive, the Ministry of Ayush issued a notification on July 1, 2024, omitting Rule 170, opposite to the Courtroom’s order. Due to this fact the Courtroom stayed the impact of this notification till additional orders.
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MIB Eases Self-Declaration Certificates Necessities for Meals and Well being Sector Adverts
The Ministry of Info and Broadcasting (MIB) has proposed that solely commercials within the meals and well being sectors be required to submit a Self-Declaration Certificates (SDC), in keeping with an affidavit filed within the Supreme Courtroom, as reported by Hindustan Instances. The Ministry clarified that the duty for submitting these SDCs rests solely with personal corporations and advertisers, not promoting businesses. Moreover, the MIB beneficial that start-ups and micro and small enterprises (MSMEs) be exempt from submitting SDCs.
This follows the MIB’s July advisory, which directed advertisers and promoting businesses within the meals and well being sectors to add annual SDCs on the Broadcast Seva Portal (for TV/Radio) or the Press Council of India’s portal (for print media/web). The advisory, issued in compliance with a courtroom order, required advertisers to make sure declarations concerning deceptive commercials.
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NCLT Approves Merger of Viacom 18 Media with Star India
On Friday, the Nationwide Firm Regulation Tribunal (NCLT) authorised the merger of Reliance Industries-owned Viacom 18 Media with Star India. This determination, made by a two-member NCLT bench, additionally features a composite Scheme of Association involving Viacom 18, Digital 18, and Star India.
The NCLT, noticed that the scheme seems honest and affordable, complies with authorized provisions, and doesn’t contravene public coverage. The NCLT famous within the order that the scheme will solely grow to be efficient after receiving approval from the Competitors Fee of India. The proposed scheme includes transferring Media Operations Enterprise from Viacom 18 and Jio Cinema to Digital18, a Viacom 18 subsidiary, adopted by the demerger and switch of the V18 Enterprise from Digital18 to Star India.
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Zee and Sony enter right into a Settlement Settlement, following the failed Sony-Zee Merger
The $10 billion merger between Zee Leisure and Sony India (Culver Max Leisure) has a brand new growth the place each events have entered right into a settlement settlement. Zee Leisure introduced on August 27 that it had reached a settlement with Culver Max Leisure Personal Restricted (previously Sony India) and Bangla Leisure Personal Restricted. This follows after the merger between Zee and Sony didn’t happen and was referred to as off by Sony, resulting in sure claims being made by Zee to recuperate its prices and damages.
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Bombay Excessive Courtroom Imposes Rs 50 Lakh Price on Premier Stationery for Trademark Violation
The Bombay Excessive Courtroom has imposed a penalty of Rs 50 lakh on Premier Stationery Industries Pvt. Ltd. for “wilful and deliberate disregard” of its August 2017 order, which had restrained the corporate from utilizing a deceptively comparable trademark to Pidilite Industries Ltd.’s ‘Fevicol’.
Pidilite had initially filed a swimsuit towards Premier Stationery Industries for infringing on their FEVICOL MR Inventive Work and FEVICOL MR Bottle emblems. The courtroom’s 2017 order barred Premier from violating Pidilite’s trademark rights. In 2021, Pidilite approached the courtroom once more, claiming Premier resumed reproducing the important options of its merchandise.
Premier Stationery Industries argued that the present house owners, who acquired the corporate after 2017, had been unaware of the courtroom’s order and prior undertakings. The unique house owners contended they shouldn’t be held liable for violations occurring after the sale of the corporate. Justice Riyaz Chagla, nonetheless, rejected these arguments, noting that each previous and current house owners had been associated and had offered false statements. The choose decided that the violations constituted willful and deliberate contempt of courtroom, resulting in the imposition of a Rs 50 lakh price as a penalty.
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Calcutta Excessive Courtroom permits Launch of “The Diary of West Bengal”
The Calcutta Excessive Courtroom declined to challenge an interim order restraining the discharge of the Hindi movie The Diary of West Bengal, observing that in a democratic setup, wholesome criticism shouldn’t be stopped .
A public curiosity litigation (PIL) had been filed looking for to halt the movie’s launch, alleging that it portrays the Chief Minister of West Bengal in a unfavorable mild. Though the courtroom was not inclined to grant instant reduction, it agreed to record the matter for a listening to in three weeks, permitting the senior advocate representing the petitioner to make detailed submissions in help of the petition.
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Delhi Excessive Courtroom Points Injunction and Damages in Louis Vuitton Copyright Infringement Case
In a current swimsuit filed by Louis Vuitton Malletier, the Delhi Excessive Courtroom granted a everlasting injunction towards the defendants concerning using pictures and pictures owned by the plaintiff. Justice Mini Pushkarna emphasised that the core challenge was the unauthorized use of those copyrighted supplies by the defendants.
The Courtroom restrained the defendants from utilizing the images, photos, and promotional materials in query. Moreover, it ordered the defendants to pay Rs. 5,00,000 on to Louis Vuitton Malletier in France, as prices had been requested by the plaintiff to be paid on to France.
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Telugu Movie Trade Girls Push for Launch of Sexual Harassment Report from Telangana authorities
Main ladies actors, producers, and administrators within the Telugu movie business are urging the Telangana authorities to launch a two-year-old report on sexual harassment as a vital step in direction of making certain a safer working atmosphere. There are ongoing discussions by the Film Artistes Affiliation and the Telugu Movie Chamber of Commerce on addressing these points.
On August 30, the Voice of Girls (VoW), a help group for ladies within the business, issued a press release highlighting the necessity for transparency and motion, drawing comparisons to the Hema Committee’s findings on sexual exploitation in Malayalam cinema. The assertion has gained important traction, thereby amplifying requires the report’s launch and efficient measures to fight harassment.
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