🔴 Lead Story
Orient Electric v. Crompton Greaves: Design Infringement and the Limits of Prior Art Defence
Orient Electric Limited v. Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals Limited · Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court granted an interim injunction restraining Crompton Greaves Consumer Electricals from manufacturing, selling or dealing in its Grace series of ceiling fans, finding prima facie infringement of Orient Electric’s registered AEON fan design.
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela held that the visual similarity between the Grace fan and the registered AEON design was unmistakable. The court applied the informed user test under the Designs Act 2000, assessing whether an informed user encountering both designs would find the overall impression substantially different. It concluded the differences were insufficient to displace the finding of prima facie infringement.
Crompton challenged the validity of Orient’s design registration by raising a novelty objection based on prior art. The court rejected this defence, holding that mosaicing, the practice of combining features from multiple prior art designs to argue against novelty, is impermissible under the Designs Act. A registered design must be assessed against individual prior publications, not against a composite constructed from several earlier designs.
The decision reinforces two principles of design law. First, the informed user test focuses on overall impression rather than individual design elements in isolation. Second, a novelty challenge grounded in mosaiced prior art will not succeed before Indian courts
📡 Radar India
Laser Marking Patent Infringement Suits Survive Summary Dismissal
Bharat Bhogilal Patel v. TVS Electronics · Bombay High Court
The Bombay High Court refused to summarily dismiss patent infringement suits brought by Bharat Bhogilal Patel concerning his 2003 laser marking and engraving patents against TVS Electronics and Kalelkar Surgicals. Justice Arif S. Doctor held that multiple triable issues required adjudication at a full trial. Costs of ₹1 lakh were imposed on each defendant, the court finding that the dismissal applications had been filed to delay proceedings under the Commercial Courts Act.
Hanmi Pharm Patent Refusal Set Aside, Fresh Review Ordered
Hanmi Pharm Co. Ltd. v. Controller General of Patents and Designs · Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court set aside the Patent Office’s refusal of Hanmi Pharm’s application for a thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivative compound and its manufacturing process. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela held that the Controller failed to consider Process Claims 14 to 22 when rejecting the application under Sections 2(1)(ja) and 3(d) of the Patents Act. The matter was remanded for fresh adjudication within six months.
Geobrugg Patent Infringement Suit Proceeds in Himachal Pradesh
Geobrugg AG v. Techfab (India) Industries · Himachal Pradesh High Court
The Himachal Pradesh High Court refused to reject Geobrugg AG’s patent infringement suit concerning its patented TECCO wire mesh technology used for rockfall and landslide protection. Justice Sandeep Sharma held that pre-institution mediation was not mandatory given the plea for urgent interim relief. The court found territorial jurisdiction established on the ground that the goods had been inspected and accepted in Kullu, Himachal Pradesh.
Berger Paints Fraud Advertisement Against Asian Paints Restrained
Asian Paints Limited v. Namgial Enterprise · Bombay High Court
The Bombay High Court restrained circulation of Berger Paints’ Drishyam Series Episode 1 advertisement, which compared Berger Easy Clean with Asian Paints’ APCOLITE SHYNE ALL PROTEK and displayed a Fraud meme following the product comparison. Justice Arif S. Doctor found a prima facie case of product disparagement, holding that the use of the Fraud characterisation crossed the boundary between permissible comparative advertising and actionable disparagement. The court directed takedown of the advertisement from WhatsApp and social media platforms.
Global CityWalk Mark Restrained in Real Estate Dispute
Select CityWalk Retail Private Limited v. Garg Realtech Private Limited · Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court granted an ex parte ad interim injunction restraining Garg Realtech from using the mark Global CityWalk for a commercial real estate project. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela held the mark deceptively similar to Select CityWalk’s registered CITYWALK and SELECT CITYWALK marks, finding that the addition of the prefix Global was insufficient to distinguish the marks and that confusion was likely given both parties operated in the same real estate sector.
CARALL Car Perfume Products Restrained From Unauthorised Online Sale
Harukado Co. Ltd. v. Gautam Sanjay Mane · Bombay High Court
The Bombay High Court granted an interim injunction against online retailers and importer Gautam Sanjay Mane for selling CARALL car perfume products without authorisation from trademark owner Harukado Co. Ltd. Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh noted that the defendants failed to demonstrate the products were genuine or lawfully imported, lending credence to allegations of counterfeit or unauthorised parallel imports.
Zee Granted Interim Relief Against JioStar Over Expired Licensing Agreements
Zee Entertainment Enterprises v. JioStar India Private Limited · Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court granted ad interim relief to Zee Entertainment in its copyright suit against JioStar over alleged continued hosting of licensed content after expiry of licensing agreements dated 15 November 2017 and 6 November 2020. Justice Tejas Karia directed JioStar to stop using or streaming Zee’s copyrighted works within 15 days and referred the parties to mediation for settlement discussions.
Piracy Sites PlayIMDb and StreamIMDb Restrained
Universal City Studios Productions v. PlayIMDb.Com · Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court granted an ex parte ad interim injunction against rogue streaming websites including playimdb.com and streamimdb.ru for facilitating piracy of films including Fast X, F9: The Fast Saga and The Secret Life of Pets 2. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela held that the websites dishonestly exploited IMDb’s goodwill and were deliberately structured to enable large-scale copyright infringement.
Meta Directed to Remove Ads Misusing StoryTV Content
Greenhorn Wellness Private Limited v. Zbullet Enterprises · Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court restrained entities behind advertisements that used StoryTV’s copyrighted content and marks to promote the rival Bullet app. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela directed Meta to take down the infringing advertisements across its platforms, finding a prima facie case of deceptive misuse in which users were redirected to the Bullet app and charged ₹699 following a ₹1 trial payment.
Calcutta High Court Sets Aside Injunction in Chemistry Textbook Dispute
Gourdas Saha v. Dipankar Majumdar · Calcutta High Court
The Calcutta High Court set aside an ex parte injunction restraining publication of a Chemistry textbook over disputed authorship claims to two chapters. The court held that the suit was fundamentally a copyright dispute under the Commercial Courts Act and could not proceed as an ordinary declaratory suit. It further found that the trial court failed to record adequate reasons for granting urgent interim relief without hearing the publishers.
Unauthorised Broadcast of Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai Restrained
Tips Films Limited v. Bharath Sanchar Nigam Limited · Madras High Court
The Madras High Court granted interim protection to Tips Films against unauthorised broadcast of the upcoming Varun Dhawan-starrer Hai Jawani Toh Ishq Hona Hai ahead of its 22 May 2026 release. Justice P.B. Balaji held that Tips Films had established a prima facie copyright case and found that denial of relief would cause serious and irreparable financial harm.
OTT Release of Dhurandhar: The Revenge Not Stalled Despite Oye Oye Copyright Dispute
Trimurti Films Private Limited v. B62 Studios Private Limited · Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court refused to restrain the OTT release of Dhurandhar: The Revenge over alleged unauthorised use of the Tridev song Oye Oye as Rang De Lal. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela cited Trimurti Films’ prolonged inaction following similar objections raised against the films Azhar in 2016 and KGF: Chapter 1 in 2019. The court directed T-Series to deposit ₹50 lakh pending adjudication of the underlying royalty claims.
Aman Gupta’s Personality Rights Protected Against AI Deepfakes
Aman Gupta v. John Doe · Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court granted an ex parte ad interim injunction protecting boAt co-founder Aman Gupta’s personality rights against unauthorised use of his name, voice, image and likeness, including AI-generated deepfake content. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela held that the misuse prima facie infringed Gupta’s personality and trademark rights, noting in particular the circulation of sexually explicit deepfake content that required urgent judicial intervention.
Akkineni Nagarjuna Merchandise Authority Questioned
Akkineni Nagarjuna v. WWW.BFXXX.Org · Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court directed a trader to produce complete documentary proof of its claimed authority to sell Akkineni Nagarjuna-branded The Ghost merchandise, after the defendant admitted it had no direct agreement with either Nagarjuna or the production house. Justice Tushar Rao Gedela held that bare assertions of authorisation were insufficient and directed production of documentary evidence supporting the claimed merchandising rights.
🌍 Radar Global
Nokia Wins UK Appeal in Global FRAND Dispute
Acer v. Nokia · Court of Appeal of England and Wales
Nokia secured a Court of Appeal ruling permanently staying patent licensing lawsuits brought by Acer and ASUS over video coding technology. The court found Nokia had already offered licences on FRAND terms through arbitration, rendering the London proceedings unnecessary. The ruling cancels a major trial scheduled for June and July 2026 and reinforces the role of English courts in resolving global FRAND disputes following the 2020 UK Supreme Court decision permitting courts to set worldwide licensing terms.
US Jury to Decide Whether Takeda Illegally Delayed Generic Amitiza
In re Amitiza Antitrust Litigation · US District Court, District of Massachusetts
A federal jury in Boston will determine whether Takeda Pharmaceutical unlawfully delayed generic entry for Amitiza through a 2014 pay-for-delay settlement with Par Pharmaceutical valued at approximately $210 million. Plaintiffs allege the agreement postponed generic entry until 2021 and caused over $1.3 billion in combined damages. Takeda contends the settlement was lawful, arguing Amitiza’s patents remained valid until October 2027 and that the arrangement increased competition through an authorised generic.
EU Court Revives Challenge Against OBELIX Weapons Trademark
Les Editions Albert Rene v. EUIPO · Court of Justice of the European Union
The Court of Justice of the European Union annulled an EUIPO decision that had permitted a Polish entrepreneur to register the trademark Obelix for firearms, ammunition and explosives. The court held that EUIPO conducted an incomplete and erroneous analysis by failing to properly assess evidence of the strong reputation of the earlier OBELIX mark associated with the Asterix franchise. The ruling revives the invalidation challenge brought by publisher Les Editions Albert Rene.
Shein Accuses Temu of Industrial Scale Copyright Infringement
Shein v. Temu · High Court of Justice of England and Wales
Fast-fashion platform Shein accused rival Temu of copyright infringement on an industrial scale at a London High Court trial, alleging Temu used thousands of Shein product photographs to market copycat clothing. Shein claimed Temu abandoned its defence regarding nearly 2,300 allegedly infringing images after proceedings commenced. Temu denied wrongdoing and counterclaimed for damages arising from removal of thousands of listings under an injunction, while also alleging anti-competitive supplier exclusivity arrangements by Shein.
US Court Withholds Approval of Anthropic’s $1.5 Billion Authors Settlement
Authors v. Anthropic PBC · US District Court, Northern District of California
A US federal judge withheld final approval of Anthropic’s proposed $1.5 billion settlement resolving authors’ copyright claims over use of pirated books to train the Claude AI model. Judge Araceli Martinez-Olguin sought further details on attorneys’ fees and lead plaintiff payments before approving the settlement. An earlier ruling by Judge William Alsup had held that AI training constituted fair use but found Anthropic liable for maintaining a library of over seven million pirated books.
EU Top Court Backs Publisher Compensation in Meta Copyright Dispute
Meta Platforms Ireland v. AGCOM · Court of Justice of the European Union
The Court of Justice of the European Union held that an Italian regulatory framework requiring online platforms to compensate publishers for use of news snippets is compatible with EU copyright law. The court found that a right to fair compensation for publishers constitutes consideration for authorising online use of press publications and upheld the authority of Italy’s communications regulator AGCOM in overseeing compensation negotiations.
Sony Music Publishing Acquires Recognition Music Catalog for Reported $4 Billion
Sony Music Publishing agreed to acquire the 45,000-song catalog of Recognition Music Group from funds managed by Blackstone in a transaction reported at approximately $4 billion. The catalog includes works associated with artists including Beyoncé, Rihanna and Fleetwood Mac. The acquisition reflects continued demand for legacy music catalogs driven by stable streaming revenues and growing use across film, television and digital media platforms.
Avatar Face-Likeness Suit Proceeds Against Disney and James Cameron
Q’Orianka Kilcher v. James Cameron & Disney · US District Court, Central District of California
Actor Q’Orianka Kilcher filed suit against James Cameron and Disney alleging her facial features were used without consent as the basis for the character Neytiri in the Avatar franchise. The suit claims Cameron used promotional images from Kilcher’s role as Pocahontas in The New World during development of the Na’vi character design and commercially exploited her likeness without permission or compensation.
Journalists Sue Google Over Alleged Voice Training Misuse
Marin v. Alphabet Inc. · US District Court, Northern District of Illinois
A group of journalists, podcasters and audiobook narrators filed a proposed class action against Google and Alphabet Inc. alleging that thousands of hours of their voice recordings were used without consent to train AI systems powering Gemini Live and Google Assistant. The complaint claims Google scraped long-form studio-quality recordings in violation of Illinois publicity and biometric privacy laws. Plaintiffs include journalist Carol Marin and Pulitzer Prize winners Yohance Lacour and Alison Flowers.
Hengrui and Bristol Myers Squibb Sign $15.2 Billion Drug Licensing Alliance
Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals and Bristol Myers Squibb entered global collaboration and licensing agreements covering cancer, blood disease and immunology drug candidates, with potential milestone payments reaching $15.2 billion. The deal covers 13 early-stage programmes including oncology, haematology and immunology assets and joint development projects. Bristol Myers Squibb receives rights outside mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, while Hengrui retains exclusive rights within those territories. The agreements are expected to close in the third quarter of 2026.
Rigel Secures Global Licence for Pfizer-Arvinas Breast Cancer Drug
Rigel Pharmaceuticals entered a global licensing agreement with Pfizer and Arvinas for breast cancer drug Veppanu, obtaining exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise the therapy. The deal includes $70 million upfront, $15 million tied to transition activities and up to $320 million in milestone payments plus royalties. Veppanu received FDA approval for advanced breast cancer patients with specific genetic mutations following a 624-patient late-stage trial.
📡 Radar Blip
CGPDTM Invites Stakeholder Feedback on Well-Known Trademark E-Filing Module
The CGPDTM released a First Look of a proposed e-filing module for well-known trademark applications under Rule 124 of the Trade Marks Rules 2017. Stakeholders may submit technical comments to support.ipo@gov.in by 21 May 2026. The office clarified that the consultation does not constitute formal launch of the module.
