NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to overturn a Delhi High Court ruling that had quashed a forgery case filed by toothpaste brand Anchor against its competitor Colgate.
A bench comprising Justices Pankaj Mithal and R Mahadevan dismissed Anchor’s appeal, stating, “We do not find any reason to interfere with the orders impugned in these petitions. The present petitions are, accordingly, dismissed.”
The dispute originated from a trademark disagreement between Anchor and Colgate regarding the use of red-and-white color schemes for their toothpaste products. Anchor alleged that after Colgate failed to obtain an interim injunction, it resorted to forging trademark registration documents to create a fresh cause of action in the Delhi High Court.
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Anchor subsequently filed a complaint in a trial court, accusing Colgate and its officials of forgery and related offences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Based on prima facie evidence, a magistrate initially issued summons against Colgate and its representatives, suggesting that the trademark registration documents had been falsified.
However, the Delhi High Court later quashed both the complaint and the summons. It ruled that there was no substantial evidence to support Anchor’s allegations of forgery. On Monday, the Supreme Court upheld this decision, dismissing Anchor’s appeal.
The case saw the involvement of prominent legal professionals. Senior Advocates Mukul Rohatgi, Arvind Verma, and Sidharth Luthra represented Colgate, while Senior Advocate Maninder Singh, supported by a team from MPS Legal, argued on behalf of Anchor.