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2013 Supreme(Del) 330

High Court of Delhi
KAILASH GAMBHIR, J.
Keshav Kumar Aggarwal
Versus
M/s NIIT Ltd.
CS (OS) No. 2237 of 2012
Decided on : 22-03-2013

Advocates appeared:
For the Plaintiff:H.P. Singh, Navroop Singh, Advocates.
For the Defendant:Mrs. Pratibha M. Singh , Advocate.

Headnote:

Trade Marks - Infringement - Passing Off of the mark "TURNING POINT" for Educational & Training Services in Class 41 - Section 2(Z)(g) of the Trademarks Act, 1999 - "Well Known Mark" - Order 39 Rule 1 & 2 CPC - Plaintiff is registered Proprietor of the Composite Label Mark "TP" - "Turning Point" for Educational & Training Service falling in Class 41 of Schedule IV of Trade Marks Act, 1999 - Plaintiff first one in coining of the mark 'Turning Point' in the year 1998 and using the same extensively since then - Plaintiff Providing educational services to students in various schools across India - Plaintiff extensively advertised the mark "Turning Point" including Facebook, Hosting Lectures on You Tube & received various Awards, Acclamations - Defendant adopted the mark "NIIT THE TURNING POINT" in May 2012 for Cloud Computing Curriculum falling in Class 41 - Defendant's use of the Essential Feature of Plaintiff's mark "TURNING POINT" dishonest - Plaintiff & Defendant both operating in same field of Educational Services, Same Trade Channels & Targeted Consumers - Defendant's use of the mark "TURNING POINT" likely to create confusion & deception among the Consumers - Prima Facie Balance of Convenience in favors of the Plaintiff - Plaintiff's Trademark "TURNING POINT" held to be a "Well Known Mark" - Accordingly Order 39 Rule 1 & 2 application is Allowed - Defendant is restrained from using the mark "TURNING POINT" in respect of its services.

Trade Marks Act, 1999 - Section 17 - Interpretation of Law - Held, Plaintiff's mark "TURNING POINT" is distinctive of itself & has attained secondary meaning on account of extensive usage since the year 1998 - Defendant has failed to substantiate its claim of actual user by others in the Trade - Dictum of Law that when a Label Mark is Registered it can not be said that the word mark contained therein is not Registered - Hence, Essential Feature "TURNING POINT" of the Plaintiff's label mark deserves protection - Defendant's claim of no exclusive right of over the words "TURNING POINT" is accordingly rejected.

Trade Marks Act, 1999 - Sections 27-29 - Infringement of trademark/label 'Turning Point' used for providing coaching for various competitive exams for last 14 years - Defendant company using the expression 'Turning Point' as suffix to its established trademark "NIIT" - Deceptive similarity between both marks - defendant restrained from using trademark 'Turning Point'.

Judgment

Kailash Gambhir, J.

IA No. 13469/2012 in CS (OS) No. 2237/2012

1. The present case concerns the plaintiff’s Intellectual Property Rights in its trademark/label “TURNING POINT” bearing No. 1324835 in Class 41, registered on 15-11-2005 for providing Educational Services, training, Entertainment, Sporting & Cultural Activities.

2. Briefly stating the case of the plaintiff is that the Plaintiff, Shri Keshav Kumar Aggarwal is the sole proprietor of the firm M/s TURNING POINT, situated at B-1/ 30 Malviya Nagar, New Delhi which is engaged in providing Educational Services, Coaching & training for students in various Schools & Colleges, since the year 1998 under the trademark “TURNING POINT”, which had been duly registered by the Plaintiff under class 41 on 15.11.2005 and the plaintiff has built up enormous goodwill & reputation in the market over the years. It is the case of the plaintiff that the said registration of the trademark “TURNING POINT” by the Plaintiff is valid and subsisting till the year 2015. It is also the case of the plaintiff that the plaintiff was the first one to have coined a unique & subjective mark with respect to educational services in the year 1998. According to the plaintiff, M/s TURNING POINT has various centres in Delhi, providing coaching and training services to the students in association with the sole proprietorship concern run under the name “PYRAMID CLASSES” by the Plaintiff’s wife. It is also the case of the plaintiff that they are primarily engaged in imparting coaching & training to students of class VIII, IX, X, XI & XII in various schools in Delhi, teaching various subjects such as Commerce, Science, Arts etc. In addition to the above services, the plaintiff also provides coaching & training in preparing the students for various competitive entrance exams such as BBA, BBS, LAW, IIT, AIEEE, MEDICAL, CFAS, HM, CPT etc. Thus, in due course of providing educational services of the highest class to the students for the last 14 years, the plaintiff’s registered trademark i.e. “TURNING POINT” has become a distinctive and well- known mark under Section 2 (z) (g) of the Trademarks Act, 1999. It is the case of the plaintiff that in the month of June 2012, the plaintiff came to know that the defendant has adopted an identical and deceptively similar mark to that of the plaintiff. According to the plaintiff the defendant is using the impugned mark out of greed with a view to take advantage of the reputation and goodwill of the plaintiff.

Achievements, Sales and Advertising

3. According to the plaintiff, the institution M/s TURNING POINT maintains highest level of quality Education, training &coaching services, teaching about thousands of students, which has enabled the students to excel in their exams. The plaintiff has printed various Brochures highlighting the success of its students, their achievements in the educational field. The plaintiff over the years has built up enormous goodwill, reputation and name in the market among the public for providing quality and effective coaching and training services, to the students helping them to prepare for various entrance exams. It is also the case of the plaintiff that it has been using, advertising, & promoting the said mark continuously and extensively since the year 1998, with respect to the above services making it distinctive and thereby, making it a well-known mark under Section 2(z) (g) of the Trademarks Act, 1999. It has been contended that the plaintiff has achieved tremendous sales which are reflective of the enormous goodwill and reputation, which the plaintiff has achieved by imparting education & training to the students of various colleges and schools since 1998. The approximate sales figures of the plaintiff since the year 1998-1999 to 2011-2012 are as follows:

4. The plaintiff has also incurred huge volume of sums in advertising and promoting the educational training and coaching services under the name/trademark ‘TURNING POINT’, mak

























































































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