NE LEGAL BUREAU
NEW DELHI, AUG 30
Days after restraining the export of Amul products meant for domestic sale, the Delhi High Court has restrained domain registrars – GoDaddy, Big Rock, Freenom, Big Rock among others – from selling or offering for sale domain names with “Amul” as a suffix or prefix in any combination. The court observed that being a well-known trademark, ‘AMUL’ deserved such protection. That said Order to a large extent prevents the further creation of fake websites.
Passing an order against online frauds using fake websites impersonating as popular brands like Amul, Justice Mukta Gupta of Delhi High Court has directed the Department of Telecommunications, Ministry of Information and Technology and National Internet Exchange of India to block access to such rogue websites.
Amul, on receiving such complaints had filed complaints with the Cybercrime Cell and also issued notices to the domain registrars who are the sellers of the domain names.
On hearing the submissions made by Advocate Abhishek Singh on behalf of Amul, the Court took serious note of how miscreants purchase rogue websites containing names of well-known brands like Amul, to dupe and defraud the public by offering dealership, distributorship, franchise, jobs.
In a major relief to Amul – country’s biggest dairy brand and a household name – this order will now prevent the further creation of fake websites.
Commenting on the High Court Order, RS Sodhi, Managing Director, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd (GCMMF)- marketer of Amul, said, “This order comes as a major relief to Amul who had been receiving several complaints from various people across India who complained of being deceived and duped by fake and rogue websites which illegally offered ‘Amul’ dealership, distributorship, jobs and caused them to deposit money ranging from Rs 25,000 to Rs 10 lakh.”
Amul, in a statement, also stated that the Court had outrightly rejected the contention of GoDaddy that it is not aware as to whether there is any technology by virtue of which Godaddy can ensure that the websites with the name Amul wherein will no be made available for sale.
The Court has further directed the State Bank of India, Canara Bank, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Bandhan Bank, Indusind Bank and Dena Bank of the sixteen bank accounts, where the deposits were made to furnish all the details of the account holders, their addresses, contact details, and bank statements.
That the outbreak of COVID-19 had further escalated the online fraud and during the last few months there had been a rampant rise in cases of online fraud. The order of the Court brings respite to AMUL as well as the public at large.
