New Delhi, Aug 29 (PTI) The Delhi High Court has directed the taking down of several websites that are allegedly misusing the trademarks in relation to crypto-investment platform “Mudrex” and duping innocent customers into investing money on their fraudulent websites.
The court passed the order on a lawsuit filed by RPFAS Technologies Private Limited, which runs the “Virtual Digital Asset” exchange, against several unknown entities who are stated to be “operating the fake and fraudulent websites” and deceiving the public.
It was alleged that these entities were unauthorisedly using “Mudrex”, a registered trademark of the plaintiff, for running their websites in a patently dishonest manner.
The court held that if an ex-parte ad-interim injunction is not granted, the plaintiff will suffer irreparable loss and therefore, directed the offending entities not to use the plaintiff’s trademarks.
“Accordingly, till the next date of hearing, defendant no.10 (John Doe or unknown parties) … are restrained from using in any manner whatsoever for any goods or services the plaintiff’s marks and/or any mark deceptively similar to the plaintiff’s trademarks, amounting to infringement of the plaintiff’s trademarks and passing off,” said Justice Mini Pushkarna in a recent interim order on the lawsuit.
“Defendant no.10 is directed to take down the infringing websites within 48 hours of passing this order,” the judge ordered.
The court clarified that if the offending parties themselves do not take down the websites, the competent authorities will take steps to immediately block access to all the infringing websites.
The plaintiff gave a list of 38 such websites that allegedly, under the garb of investment and completion of tasks, are duping innocent public into investing lakhs of rupees on their fraudulent websites as well as sharing sensitive documents, such as their Aadhaar cards, PAN cards, bank statements, property papers etc., to cause them wrongful loss.
It was, therefore, argued that owing to these infringing acts, the plaintiff was suffering an undue harm and injury to the reputation and goodwill of its mark “Mudrex”. PTI ADS RC
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