Coimbatore Industrial Unit Sealed Over Counterfeit Adhesive Production
In a significant crackdown on intellectual property violations, a private industrial unit located in Gandhi Nagar, Coimbatore, was sealed on Saturday. This action was taken by a committee appointed by a Delhi commercial court, following charges of manufacturing and selling counterfeit adhesive products.
Deceptive Brand Imitation Uncovered
According to sources, the company in question was using the brand name "HQ", which was found to be deceptively similar to the registered "HP" brand owned by Adhesives Limited, a Mumbai-based firm. The counterfeit products were being sold in packaging that closely mimicked the genuine HP items, including branding style, logo placement, colour combination, and overall trade dress.
Legal Action and Court Order
The brand owner approached the commercial court in Delhi after receiving complaints about the sale of these imitation products. The court determined that a prima facie case of trademark and copyright infringement had been established. Consequently, it appointed a committee to conduct a search and seize the counterfeit materials.
Namrata Jain, an advocate who was part of the raiding team, stated, "During the inspection by the committee comprising a court representative and advocates, a substantial quantity of adhesive products bearing the impugned 'HQ' mark was found. Moreover, the products were being manufactured, packaged and marketed under a name and visual presentation that infringed the registered trademark and copyrighted trade dress of the original brand owner."
Seizure and Sealing of the Unit
In compliance with the court order, the infringing goods were seized, and the industrial unit was sealed. This move underscores the legal repercussions for businesses engaging in trademark infringement and the production of counterfeit goods.
The case highlights the ongoing efforts to protect intellectual property rights in India, particularly in the industrial and manufacturing sectors. It serves as a warning to other entities that may be involved in similar deceptive practices.
