Court in Delhi orders blocking of apps and websites unlawfully using Premji Invest's intellectual property for fraudulent activities
The Delhi High Court has taken a decisive step in safeguarding the reputation of Premji Invest, a supporter of the philanthropic initiatives of Azim Premji's not-for-profit organisation, Azim Premji Foundation. In a case titled PI Investment Advisory LLP & Anr v Registrant of Premjiex.com & Ors., the court ordered the blocking of websites and removal of mobile applications that misrepresent their association with Premji Invest.
The order was passed in response to a suit filed by Premji Invest seeking to prevent fraudulent schemes through fake websites, domains, apps, and social media/WhatsApp impersonating Premji Invest. The court held that the plaintiffs have established a case for granting an ex-parte ad-interim injunction against Defendants 1, 2, and unknown persons/Defendant No. 20.
The balance of convenience lies in favor of the plaintiffs, and irreparable loss would be caused to them if the ex-parte ad-interim injunction is not granted at this stage. The court observed that if the infringers are not restrained, they will continue to confuse and mislead the general public to believe that they are associated with Premji Invest and damage its reputation.
The court argued that the applications and websites were unauthorizedly using and displaying the plaintiffs' brand name, tradename, and trademark, and misleading unsuspecting users to believe that they are dealing with the plaintiffs or its officials. The order restrains the proprietors of the websites and apps from infringing on Premji Invest's trademarks and copyrighted content.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora passed the order on August 18, 2021. The injunction order will apply dynamically and any mirror/ alphanumeric/ similar/ redirect variations of websites/applications violating Premji Invest's intellectual property rights will be blocked in real time.
The order also directed certain banks to freeze the bank accounts of the account holders as mentioned in 'Annexure - C' attached to the order and disclose complete KYC documents and bank statements. Advocates Anuj Berry, Anusha Ramesh, Gauri Pasricha, and Nitya Jain appeared for Premji Invest in the case.
The court's order comes at a time when the public is increasingly vulnerable to online scams and frauds. This decision serves as a reminder that such unlawful activities will not be tolerated, and those who engage in them will face consequences. The court's action is a significant step towards protecting the rights of businesses and maintaining the integrity of the digital space.
However, it is worth noting that the provided search results do not contain information about the banks listed in the ruling to block accounts of bank customers linked to websites and apps involved in copyright and trademark infringements. The public is advised to exercise caution while dealing with any online platforms that claim to be associated with Premji Invest or any other reputable organisation. Always verify the authenticity of the platform before sharing any personal or financial information.
