Malabar Wins Legal Case over Brand Impersonation
June 07, 23
(IDEX Online) - Malabar Gold & Diamonds has won its legal case against a businessman who was trading under its brand name in Islamabad, Pakistan.
Muhammad Faizan had the Malabar name and logo above his showroom. He also managed social media pages using its brand name, its brand ambassadors, and its product images.
The Mumbai-based company has 317 stores the Middle East, the Far East, the USA & India, but none in Pakistan. It filed a civil action against Faizan for brand impersonation.
He refused to comply with a court order to remove all signage and use of the Malabar name. So the company filed a contempt petition in court, and he was subsequently arrested and imprisoned.
The two sides have now reached a settlement, under which Faizan is required to publish a confession and declaration in all editions of major English and Urdu newspapers chosen by Malabar.
"The brand value that we have painstakingly built over the years is very dear to us and any attempts to exploit the goodwill and reputation of the brand will be prevented," said Malabar in a statement.
The company said Faizan had admitted exploiting its global presence and brand recognition to mislead customers into thinking that his jewelry store was an authorized franchisee.
Pics of the store with and without the Malabar signage, courtesy Malabar Gold & Diamonds