Delhi High Court
Directors Not Criminally Liable For Company's Contractual Breach Without Proof Of Fraud: Delhi High Court
The Delhi High Court has said that a company's inability to pay its dues because of financial distress is a civil issue, not a criminal offense. A director cannot be prosecuted for cheating unless there is clear proof of personal fraud or personal gain. Justice Neena Bansal Krishna quashed cheating charges against a former managing director of Creative Wares Limited, a manufacturing company that later ran into financial trouble and was declared a sick industrial company by the BIFR. The court...
Delhi High Court Refers 'BRO CODE' Trademark Dispute Between Indospirit and Ravi Mohan's Studio To Mediation
The Delhi High Court on Thursday referred a trademark infringement dispute between Indospirit Beverages Private Limited and actor Ravi Mohan's production house over the use of the title “BRO CODE” for an upcoming Tamil film to mediation before the Delhi High Court Mediation and Conciliation Centre.Justice Tushar Rao Gedela passed the order on January 15, 2026, while hearing the matter arising from Indospirit's suit alleging infringement and passing off of its “BROCODE” trademark through the...
Delhi High Court Continues Ad-Hoc License Fee Arrangement In PPL Copyright Infringement Suit Against Hospitality Company
The Delhi High Court has directed the continuation of an ad-hoc licence fee arrangement in a copyright infringement suit filed by copyright society Phonographic Performance Limited (PPL) against Pass Code Hospitality Private Limited, a Delhi-based company that owns and operates various well-known high-profile pubs and bars.The order was passed by Justice Tejas Karia on January 9, 2026, while considering applications relating to continuation of interim licence fee deposits and a plea seeking...
Unconditional Bank Guarantee Can Be Invoked Despite Contract Termination Dispute: Delhi High Court Reiterates
The Delhi High Court has reiterated that an unconditional performance bank guarantee can be invoked even if the contractor disputes the legality of the contract's termination, an issue the court said must be decided in arbitration.A single-judge bench of Justice Jasmeet Singh relied on precedents set by the apex court to hold that it cannot go into such questions while deciding a petition under Section 9 of the Arbitration and Conciliation Act. The Court clarified that it cannot go into the...
Delhi High Court Lifts Injunction On 'Cheetal' Rice Trademark, Rules No Infringement Of 'Double Deer' Mark
The Delhi High Court has set aside an interim injunction restraining Bhole Nath Foods Ltd., a Delhi-based rice manufacturer, from using the “CHEETAL” word and device marks, holding that no prima facie case of trademark infringement or passing off was made out in favour of Kirorimal Kashiram Marketing and Agencies Pvt. Ltd., the Chennai-based owner of the “DOUBLE DEER” mark for rice products.A Division Bench of Justice C. Hari Shankar and Justice Om Prakash Shukla, by a judgment dated January 9,...
Delhi High Court Restrains “Charcha Aaj Ki” From Using Deceptively Similar Aaj Tak Device Mark
The Delhi High Court has granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction in favour of Living Media India Limited, the company behind the Hindi news channel AAJ TAK. The Court restrained a digital news platform operating under the name “Charcha Aaj Ki” from using a device mark and colour combination found to be deceptively similar to the “AAJ TAK” trademark. In an order dated January 9, 2026, Justice Jyoti Singh held that Living Media had made out a prima facie case. The court directed that the...
Delhi High Court Orders Takedown Of Unauthorized Images of Youtuber Bhuvan Bam
Bhuvan Bam, a popular YouTube content creator and web-series actor, approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality rights and restraint against the unauthorized use of his images by various unknown individuals and entities.Justice Jyoti Singh, while hearing the matter on January 13, 2026, directed the takedown of the unauthorized images but declined to record any prima facie finding on the issue of personality rights at this stage.The Court orally observed that on the very...
Delhi High Court Rejects Colgate Plea To Amend Suit Against Dabur Over Fluoride Ads
The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to allow Colgate-Palmolive to amend its 2019 plaint to specifically challenge Dabur's later newspaper advertisements, holding that fresh versions of an advertising campaign do not warrant repeated amendments when the issue is already pleaded.Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, in an order dated January 12, 2026, clarified that Colgate's 2019 plaint contains detailed allegations accusing Dabur of spreading misleading information and disparaging fluoride as...
Contractual Bar On Interest Binds Arbitrator; Delhi High Court Partly Sets Aside Award In BHEL–Delkon Dispute
In a dispute involving public sector undertaking Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, the Delhi High Court has set aside a ₹66.50 lakh interest component of an arbitral award that had directed BHEL to pay Delkon India Private Limited. The court held that an arbitral tribunal cannot award interest where the contract expressly prohibits it, even if the termination of the contract is found to be illegal. A division bench of Justice V. Kameswar Rao and Justice Vinod Kumar ruled that the contractual...