HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED Vs. SATVEER KUMAR & ANR.

JUDGEMENT

(1.) In an action for infringement of trademark and copyright the plaintiff has filed the present application seeking for various interim relief against the defendant.

(2.) The plaintiff company carries on the business of manufacturing, marketing and sale of various kinds of washing soaps, including detergent. The plaintiffs claims to be the registered proprietor of the trademarks "SURF" and "SURF EXCEL" both in class 3.

(3.) The plaintiff has in a bona fide manner adopted a unique, artistic and distinctive logo (hereinafter referred to as "the said logo") for use upon and in relation to its detergents and like goods under brand "SURF EXCEL" with a view to distinguish the said goods from those of others as well as inter-se. The said logo potrays the device of a splat created by a drop of liquid on a hard surface with five appendages stemming out from its core, spreading towards different directions. The said appendages are wider at the periphery and narrower towards the core of the said splat. The appendage at the centre left position of the said splat is of the smallest in size, while the appendage at the bottom right of the said splat is the biggest in size. The other three appendages are of almost equal size. The said logo is predominately used by the plaintiff in the combination of either orange and green or pink and orange, upon and in relation to its "SURF EXCEL" range of goods packed and/or sold inter alia in artistic packaging/under artistic trade dresses.