Facts of the Case:
The present case revolves around a dispute between Shakthi Fashion and APB
Designs (Defendants) and Burberry Limited (Plaintiff) regarding the alleged
infringement of copyright, trademark, passing off, and other claims. The
Plaintiff, a renowned luxury garments brand, owns the trademark 'BURBERRY' and
operates globally, including in India.
The Plaintiff filed a suit against the Defendants for selling counterfeit
'BURBERRY' branded goods, which were also promoted on the website IndiaMart.
Prior to the suit, the Plaintiff lodged a complaint that led to the seizure of a
large volume of counterfeit goods bearing the 'BURBERRY' mark.
Court and Bench:
The case was heard in the High Court of Delhi, with Justice Prathiba M. Singh
presiding over the matter.
Issues Involved:
The primary issue in this case is whether the Commercial Court had territorial
jurisdiction to entertain the suit filed by the Plaintiff. The Defendants argued
that they had not sold any products in Delhi and, therefore, the Court lacked
jurisdiction. The Defendants moved an application under Order VII Rule 11 of the
Code of Civil Procedure (CPC) to reject the plaint on the ground of territorial
jurisdiction.
Principle:
At the stage of an application under Order VII Rule 11 CPC, the Court is
required to consider only the averments of the plaint and the documents annexed
to it. The Court cannot delve into the written statement or the pleas raised by
the defendant. The cause of action, as stated in Section 20 of the CPC,
determines the territorial jurisdiction of the Court. If the plaintiff has
sufficiently alleged that the defendants are offering their goods for sale
within the jurisdiction of the Court, the Court may have territorial
jurisdiction to entertain the suit.
Analysis:
The Court analyzed the allegations made in the plaint and the documents filed by
the Plaintiff. The Plaintiff claimed that the Defendants were offering their
goods for sale through a web portal and meeting dealers in New Delhi for the
sale of counterfeit goods.
The Defendants argued that the IndiaMart website listing, which featured their
products, did not belong to them and was not an interactive website.
The Court referred to precedents and observed that the Court's jurisdiction
should be determined based on the averments in the plaint and the documents
filed by the Plaintiff. The Court held that the cause of action had been
established within the territorial jurisdiction of the Court, as the Defendants
were planning to sell counterfeit goods clandestinely within that jurisdiction.
Comment/Conclusion:
In this case, the Court rejected the Defendants' application seeking the
rejection of the plaint based on territorial jurisdiction. The Court found that
the Plaintiffs had sufficiently established the cause of action within the
jurisdiction of the Court, based on the allegations made in the plaint.
The Court emphasized that at the stage of an application under Order VII Rule 11
CPC, it is not appropriate to delve into the merits or demerits of the
respective contentions based on disputed facts. The Court's decision affirms
that the Court has territorial jurisdiction if the cause of action arises within
its jurisdiction, regardless of the physical location of the Defendants.
How To File For Mutual Divorce In Delhi Mutual Consent Divorce is the Simplest Way to Obtain a D...
It is hoped that the Prohibition of Child Marriage (Amendment) Bill, 2021, which intends to inc...
One may very easily get absorbed in the lives of others as one scrolls through a Facebook news ...
The Inherent power under Section 482 in The Code Of Criminal Procedure, 1973 (37th Chapter of t...
The Uniform Civil Code (UCC) is a concept that proposes the unification of personal laws across...
Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing various sectors of the economy, and the legal i...
Please Drop Your Comments