In a major legal move, District and Additional Sessions Judge R.S. Patil (Bhosale) has ordered domain registrar GoDaddy to suspend all domain names that appear similar to “Haldiram” until the next hearing.
The interim directive follows a case filed by Haldiram Foods International Pvt. Ltd. under the Trademarks Act. The company claimed that unknown individuals had registered misleading domain names resembling the Haldiram brand and were allegedly using them to scam people with fake franchise offers.
Fake Websites Tarnishing Haldiram’s Reputation
The petitioner’s counsel informed the court that Haldiram is a well-established name in the food industry, with its official website — www.haldirams.com — protected under trademark rights since 2002 and 2003.
Despite this protection, several deceptive websites have emerged, misleading people with fake promises of franchise and distributorship opportunities. These fraudulent activities have caused both financial losses and reputational harm to the company. Haldiram has reportedly received multiple complaints and legal notices from citizens as well as police departments across the country.
Court Shown Evidence of Fraudulent Domains
Haldiram submitted before the court that it had made multiple requests to GoDaddy to take down fraudulent domain names mimicking its brand. However, GoDaddy responded that it could only act upon receiving a formal court directive.
The court was also told that Haldiram has never issued any invitations or advertisements for franchises, distributorships, or dealership opportunities. Supporting documents revealed at least seven domain names strikingly similar to “Haldiram” were registered through GoDaddy, misleading the public and enabling potential scams.
Court Issues Interim Suspension Order
After considering arguments from both sides and examining the documents presented, the court passed an interim order directing GoDaddy to immediately suspend all domain names resembling “Haldiram” until further instructions are issued.
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