Agra company to pay Rs 10L for selling counterfeit shoes

Agra, Oct 25 (IANS) ‘Kumkum Shoes’, a trading business in Uttar Pradesh’s Agra has been directed by the Delhi High Court to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakh to ‘PumaSE’ in a case involving usage of its ‘leaping cat’ logo.

The court said the use of ‘Puma’ trademark and logo by the defendant on inferior quality products will lead to erosion of brand equity.

The plaintiff, Puma, a German company had filed a suit seeking injunction against counterfeit products manufactured and sold under the mark ‘Puma’ by defendant, ‘Kumkum Shoes’, a trading business in Agra.

The court noted as per the local commissioner’s report, ‘Kumkum Shoes’ made a profit of nearly Rs 18 lakh to Rs 19 lakh from selling counterfeit ‘Puma’ shoes and the suit was liable to be decreed in favour of ‘Puma’ with damages of Rs 10 lakh and costs of Rs 2 lakh.

The local commissioner’s report revealed that the defendant was running a full-scale manufacturing operation with respect to counterfeit ‘Puma’ shoes. As the defendant chose to stay away from the proceedings, the court passed the decree of permanent injunction.