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The has barred Delhi-based cleantech company from using, installing, or distributing any pirated or unlicensed copies of SolidWorks design software, following evidence of widespread unauthorised use on at least twelve computer systems. Justice Vikas Mahajan passed the on in a suit filed by SolidWorks Corp and its Indian sister company, marking a significant enforcement action against corporate software piracy.
The order restrains Chakr Innovation, its officers, directors, and agents from accessing or reproducing the software in breach of its licence agreement. The court also prohibited the company from formatting the twelve identified computers or erasing any data, log files, or installations related to the plaintiffs’ software. The case highlights the growing use of embedded monitoring technology—often called “phone home” systems—to detect unauthorised software use.
Phone Home Technology Reveals Unauthorised Use
SolidWorks is a widely used 3D CAD/CAM software employed for modelling and simulating solid products, serving over 300,000 customers globally. SolidWorks Corp, a US company, owns the intellectual property rights, while its Indian sister company is a wholly owned subsidiary of France-based .
According to the plaintiffs, Chakr Innovation held twenty-six SolidWorks licences, all marked “Active Without Support,” which only permitted use of basic purchased versions. Market sources alerted the plaintiffs in to suspected pirated copies, and internal checks confirmed the unauthorised use. A followed in , but the company’s counsel denied the allegations. at the Mediation Centre failed after multiple rounds between .
To substantiate the infringement, the plaintiffs relied on SolidWorks’ built-in “Phone Home” technology, which periodically checks compliance with licence terms and transmits information to the company’s servers. The system records the software title, licence key, computer’s MAC and IP addresses, and the network’s email domain. Between and , the technology logged 160 “infringement hits” from twelve computers traced to Chakr’s organisation. Some records carried the company’s email domain, “chakr.in,” further linking the unauthorised use. The plaintiffs also expressed concern that additional systems, including offline computers, might contain unlicensed copies.
Justice Mahajan observed that the recorded hits “ demonstrate that unauthorized/pirated versions of 'SolidWorks' have been used on at least twelve computer systems traced to the defendant's organisation.” The court further noted that “it appears that plaintiff no.1 is the owner of the copyrights in the 'SolidWorks' software programmes,” which are protected under the read with the .
Court’s Interim Order and Its Scope
The court held that the clearly favoured the plaintiffs, who would suffer “difficult to quantify in monetary terms” without an injunction. The interim order prevents Chakr Innovation from using, installing, or distributing any unlicensed SolidWorks software and from tampering with data on the twelve identified computer systems. The injunction remains in force until the next hearing.
The order also requires the company to preserve all evidence on those systems, including log files and software installations, to prevent pending the suit.
Next Steps and Procedural Timeline
The suit is scheduled to come up before the Joint Registrar on , and before the court on . In the interim, Chakr Innovation must ensure compliance with the court’s directives or face potential . The case serves as a reminder to Indian companies about the risks of using unlicensed software, especially where embedded monitoring technologies can provide clear evidence of infringement.
For legal professionals, the judgment underscores the enforceability of software copyrights through technical means and the willingness of Indian courts to grant robust interim relief in piracy cases. The decision also reinforces the standard for in intellectual property matters, particularly when unauthorised use is demonstrable through systematic data logs.
