2002 Supreme(Bom) 739
IN THE HIGH COURT OF BOMBAY
S.J. Vazifdar, J.
Pizza Hut International LLC others .... Plaintiffs.
Versus
Pizza Hut India Pvt. Ltd. .... Defendant.
Notice of Motion No. 1015 of 1999 in Suit No. 1780 of 1999, decided on 26-7-2002.
Advocates appeared :
Dr. Virendra Tulzapurkar with Virag Tulzapurkar Ravi Kadam i/b. Gajria Company, for plaintiffs.
Rahul Chitnis with Ms. Veena Advani i/b. Law Charter, for defendant.
Headnote:Trade and Merchandise Act, 1958 - Section 27 - Trade mark - Infringement of - Plaintiff users of trade mark "PIZZA HUT" in its distinctive style - Filed a suit restraining defendant from using same in similar manner/style etc. - Plaintiffs/their predecessors using this mark since 1958 - Held - Defendant by using essential features viz. words" PIZZA HUT" in its companies name committed an act of infringement - Defendant failed to explain how or why it adopted word "PIZZA HUT" plaintiff s field of activity identically - Notice of motion made absolute. - If the defendant commences business, it will be in the same field of activity as the plaintiffs. The probability of confusion and deception is thus inherent. There is not only a likelihood but an almost certainty that is most cases the members of the public are likely to be deceived and confused into believing that the restaurants and the goods of the defendants, as and when the defendants commences business are run and manufactured by the plaintiffs or at the very least that the same are connected with the plaintiffs pursuant either to a joint venture, license, franchise, agency or such other business association or connection.
In the case before me the plaintiffs field of activity and defendants proposed activity are not merely similar but identical. The defendants have not even commenced any business. There are no other companies, at least to the knowledge of the parties with the firm name including the words PIZZA HUT. The present case is clearly distinguishable on facts on all material aspects.
The plaintiffs have taken out the above Notice of Motion for the usual interim reliefs in relation to an action for infringement and passing off.
2. Plaintiff No. 1, Pizza Hut International, L.L.C. and plaintiff No. 2, Pizza Hut Inc., are corporations incorporated under the laws of the United States of America. Plaintiffs No. 3 Tricon Restaurants (India) Pvt Ltd., is a Private Company limited by shares incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956. Plaintiff Nos. 1 and 3 are subsidiaries of Tricon Restaurants International.
Plaintiff No. 3 is authorised by the Government of India to set up, run and operate Pizza Hut and KFC Restaurants in India through self-owned and franchised outlets.
3. The defendant is a Private Company limited by shares incorporated under the Companies Act, 1956. The authorised share capital of the defendant is Rs. 5,00,000/-. However, the paid up capital of defendant is only Rs. 2,000/-. The main objects for which the defendant has been incorporated include carrying on the business of manufacturing, exporting, importing and dealing in all types of processed food including pizzas.
The defendant proposes to engage itself in the same field of activity as the plaintiffs. This is evident from its Memorandum of Association that lists the following as one of the objects for which the defendant was incorporated:-
"To carry on business of manufacturers, exporters, importers and deal in all types of processed food, pizza, canned food stuff, fruits, vegetables, spices, pickles, confectionery, sweet meat, jams, jelly and other food, agro products of every description whether for human, animal or poultry or piggery consumption."
4. The trade mark PIZZA HUT, written in its distinctive style/lettering with the word HUT below the word PIZZA and a hat above and covering the words, is registered under Registration No. 483960-B under Class 29 of Schedule IV which pertains to meat, fish, poultry and game not being live and vegetables all being preserved, dried or cooked, edible oils and edible fats. The registration is however subject to the condition/disclaimer that it shall give no right to the plaintiff to the exclusive use of the word "PIZZA". The registration is subsisting.
5. The plaintiffs had applied for registering the above trade mark in Class 30 relating to Pizzapies, preparations made from cereals for food for human consumption, bread and non-medicated confectionery. The application bearing No. 483959 has been accepted for advertisement in the Trade Marks Journal and after the suit was filed, the trade mark was registered.
6. By their applications dated 5-2-1996 the plaintiffs applied for registering the trade mark PIZZA HUT (words per se) in classes 29 and 30. The above applications are pending before the Registrar of Trade Marks.
7. The above applications were made by plaintiff No. 2. Consequent upon a world-
wide assignment of rights i