Delhi HC restrains 18 entities from infringing Akasa Air trademarks

The Delhi High Court has restrained an aviation institute and 17 other entities from infringing the trademarks of Akasa Air for fraudulent purposes.

Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, who passed the order of interim injunction, was hearing a suit filed by SNV Aviation Private Limited, operator of Akasa Air, alleging that the defendants, Alaska Aviation Academy Pvt Ltd and 17 others, had colluded and perpetuated job scams by impersonating its trademarks.

“The plaintiff (SNV Aviation) has received multiple emails and complaints from several members of the public stating that the defendants have contacted them through telephone calls and emails, falsely representing themselves as agents or employees of the plaintiff company and offering purported employment opportunities. In the course of such communications, the said defendants demanded payment of process fees under the false pretext of recruitment,” the suit said.

It said such acts amounted to impersonation and fraud to deceive unsuspecting job seekers.

In an order dated December 22, the court said a prima facie case is made out in favour of SNV Aviation.

“The acts of the infringing defendants in approaching unwary members of the public, falsely representing that they are offering employment on behalf of the plaintiff, and demanding process fees for such employment, when the plaintiff admittedly follows no such practice, clearly amount to misrepresentation, deception, and passing off,” the court said.

It said that if these entities were not restrained, the airline would suffer irreparable injury, which could not be monetarily compensated.

The court restrained till the next date of hearing (on May 22), the 18 defendants from infringing SNV Aviation’s trademarks or passing off the plaintiff’s business as their own.