Legal Victory for Shubham Goldiee Masale Pvt. Ltd. in Trademark Infringement Case

In a significant ruling, the Commercial Court, Saket, New Delhi, delivered a judgment favouring M/s Shubham Goldiee Masale Pvt. Ltd. The court has granted a permanent injunction against FMC Enterprises, owned by Chand Alam Ansari, restraining the company from infringing on Shubham Goldiee's trademark.

Case Background:

Shubham Goldiee Masale Pvt. Ltd., a well-established spice manufacturer from Kanpur, filed a suit (CS(COMM) 411/2021) against FMC Enterprises, alleging trademark infringement and unfair competition. The plaintiff asserted that FMC Enterprises was marketing spices under the deceptively similar name "Goldjee," designed to mislead consumers by imitating the plaintiff's well-known trademark, "GOLDIEE."

The plaintiff provided substantial evidence demonstrating the extensive goodwill and reputation of their brand, including:

Continuous use of the trademark "GOLDIEE" since 1980.

Trademark registrations and copyright protections for their product labels.

Significant sales figures amounting to ?7.69 billion for the financial year 2019-2020.

Court Proceedings:

The court issued an ex-parte interim injunction in March 2022 and appointed a Local Commissioner to inspect FMC Enterprises' premises. The inspection revealed numerous infringing goods, including packaging materials and labels mimicking the "GOLDIEE" brand. Despite repeated notices and summons, the defendant failed to appear in court, leading to ex-parte proceedings.

Key Findings and Court Decision:

Trademark Violation Confirmed:?The court found that "Goldjee" was structurally, visually, and phonetically similar to "GOLDIEE," designed to confuse consumers.

Damages Awarded:?The court granted ?2,50,000 in damages to Shubham Goldiee, acknowledging the costs incurred, including the ?1,25,000 fee for the Local Commissioner.

Permanent Injunction:?FMC Enterprises and its associates are perpetually restrained from using the "Goldjee" trademark or any deceptively similar mark.

The judgment emphasized the importance of protecting registered trademarks, citing precedents like?Kaviraj Pandit Durga Dutt Sharma v. Navaratna Pharmaceutical Laboratories?and?Laxmikant V. Patel v. Chetanbhai Shah.

Conclusion:

This ruling reaffirms the judiciary's commitment to protecting intellectual property rights and sets a strong precedent for trademark enforcement in India. Shubham Goldiee's victory underscores the importance of brand integrity and legal recourse against IP infringement.