Laws re la ting to Trade Marks / Brands (Trade Marks Act, 1999)

Laws re la ting to Copyright (Copyright Act, 1957) Artis tic Work, Lite ra ry Work, Audio Video Records and Software

Laws re la ting to Pa tents (The Pa tent Act, 1970)

Laws re la ting to Indus tria l Des igns (Des igns Act, 2000)

Laws re la ting to Geographica l Indica tions . The geographica l Indica tions of (Regis tra tion and Protection) Act, 1999

Laws re la ting to Inte rne t, Web and Information Technology (Information Technology Act, 2000)

Domain Names

◦ Civil Infringement Pass ing off◦ Crimina l

Sta tues Invoked for Crimina l Action◦ Sec. 103 / 104

Trade Marks Act, 1999◦ Sec. 63 and 64

Copyright Act, 1957◦ Sec. 420

India Penal Code◦ Sec. 91/93

Code of Criminal Procedure

Fals ifica tion of Trademarks / Infringement of copyright is a cognizable offence

A compla int may be filed before a Magis tra te ; OR Police can regis te r an FIR and prosecute directly;

(s ta tutory requirement to obta in the Regis tra r’s approva l).

Regis tra tion is not a requirement. Seizure , forfe iture and des truction of

infringing goods / materia l for placingbefore the Magis tra te

Trademark◦ Offences a re punishable with◦ imprisonment up to 3 years and ◦ fine up to INR 2,00,000/- ◦ minimum te rm of imprisonment sha ll not

be less than 6 months

Copyright◦ Offences a re punishable with minimum

sentence of imprisonment of 6 months which my extend up to 3 years ◦ and minimum fine of INR 50,000 which ◦ may extend up to INR 2,00,000.

Curta il piracy and protection of computer programs, specia l provis ions have been made

◦ Any person who knowingly uses a pira ted copy of a computer programs is a lso liable to be imprisoned for a te rm which sha ll not be le ss than seven days but which may extend to three years and with fine which sha ll not be less than INR 50,000 but which may extend to INR 2,00,000.

Copyright infringement is a cognizable offence , which means tha t police on the compla int of a compla inant can directly initia te crimina l prosecution by lodging a Firs t Information Report (FIR), inves tiga te , search and se ize the infringing goods from known and unknown offenders and arres t the offenders .

Enhanced pena lty on subsequent convictions .

Crimina l Compla int in the Court of competent jurisdiction; Pre summoning Evidence , for sa tis fying the court on the bas is

of the evidence placed on record, tha t the a llega tions by compla inant a re prima facie mainta inable ;

Issue of Genera l/ specific Search and Se izure Warrants , a long with directions to police ; Ra id / Sea rch & Se izure by Police

Inves tiga tion and a rres t (if necessa ry) of accused pe rsons ; Arguments ; Summons / Warrants aga ins t accused pe rsons ; Accused Appear and seek ba il; Framing of charges , a fte r notice of a llega tions ; Tria l Onus of proof is on the compla inant

Specia l ce lls for copyright enforcement have so far been se t up in 23 S ta tes and Union Territories , ◦ i.e . Andhra Pradesh, Assam, ◦ Andaman and Nicobar Is lands , Chandigarh, ◦ Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu,◦ Delhi, Goa, Gujara t, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, ◦ J&K, Karnataka , Kera la , Madhya Pradesh,◦ Meghalaya , Orissa , Pondicherry, Punjab, ◦ Sikkim, Tamil Nadu, Tripura and West Benga l.

Sta tes have a lso been advised to des ignate a nodal office r for copyright enforcement to facilita te easy interaction by copyright indus try organiza tions and copyright owners .

S.64 of the Copyright Actauthorizes a police officer, not be low the rank of a sub-inspector

◦ to se ize without a warrant, a ll copies of work, ◦ and a ll pla te s used for the purpose of making infringing copies of work

S.115 of the Trademark Act a llows police officer not be low the rank of deputy ◦ superintendent of police or equiva lent ◦ to search and se ize without warrant the goods , ◦ die , block, machine , pla te , othe r ins truments ◦ or things involved in committing the offence , ◦ wherever found.

has a de te rrent e ffect on a potentia l infringer

ins tills fea r of a rres t in theminds of pers is tent infringers

it is a t no cos t to the aggrieved party

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Intellectual Property & Information Technology Laws Division