On Tuesday, 25 February 2025, Justice Prathiba M. Singh of the Delhi High Court issued a landmark judgment against Amazon Technologies, Inc., ordering the company to pay $39 million (approximately ₹340 crore) in damages for the deliberate and wilful infringement of the well-known trademark Beverly Hills Polo Club (logo). This ruling marks one of the highest damages ever awarded in India’s intellectual property rights (IPR) case. The court found that Amazon, through its private label “Symbol,” had engaged in activities that infringed upon the trademark owned by Lifestyle Equities, the proprietor of the Beverly Hills Polo Club brand in India. 33.78 million, with an additional 5 million awarded for increased advertising and promotional expenses incurred due to the infringement. At the prevailing exchange rate, the total damages amounted to ₹336 crore. Furthermore, the court awarded Lifestyle full litigation costs of ₹3.23 crore (approximately $375,000), bringing the total payout to nearly ₹340 crore. The case stemmed from Amazon’s unauthorised use of a logo under its private label “Symbol,” which closely replicated the iconic ‘horse-and-polo player’ logo of Beverly Hills Polo Club. Alongside Amazon Technologies, the defendants included Cloudtail (a former subsidiary of an Amazon-held company) and Amazon Seller Services, which operates the online marketplace www.amazon.in. The court had initially granted an interim injunction in favour of Lifestyle on 12 October 2020, which was later confirmed on 20 April 2022. During the proceedings, Cloudtail admitted to selling goods bearing the infringing logo from 2015 until July 2020, with sales amounting to approximately ₹25 lakh. While Cloudtail and Amazon Seller Services participated in the case, Amazon Technologies initially chose not to be represented by counsel, despite being part of the same corporate group. Cloudtail later paid ₹4,78,484 in damages as decreed by the court. Amazon Seller Services was removed from the case as no substantive relief was sought against them beyond compliance with takedown orders. Lifestyle presented its case through five witnesses, including fact witnesses, market experts, and a damages expert. The court actively engaged with the evidence, questioning witnesses to assess the validity of the claims. The judgment highlighted that Amazon had sold apparel under the infringing logo at heavily discounted prices—ranging from ₹300 to ₹400—compared to the original Beverly Hills Polo Club products, which were priced between ₹2,500 and ₹4,000. This pricing strategy, the court noted, exacerbated the damage to Lifestyle’s brand and market position. The court also emphasized the evolving nature of trademark infringement in the digital age, coining the term “e-infringement” to describe violations occurring on online platforms. This case underscores the judiciary’s willingness to address modern challenges in IPR enforcement. Commenting on the judgment, Mr. Sidhant Goel, Senior Partner at SIM AND SAN, Attorneys At Law, who represented Lifestyle, stated, “This judgment demonstrates that Indian courts are prepared to award substantial damages when evidence is effectively presented. It sets a new benchmark in IPR disputes, surpassing the previous record of ₹217 crore in a patent infringement case.” Mr. Mohit Goel, a Senior Partner at SIM AND SAN, added, “This ruling is a watershed moment in Indian trademark jurisprudence, positioning India as a jurisdiction that enforces rights through meaningful damage awards. The key to this success was the strategic selection of independent experts to substantiate the damages claim.” Lifestyle was represented by Senior Advocate Mr. Gaurav Pachnanda and a team from SIM AND SAN, including Mr. Sidhant Goel, Mr. Mohit Goel, Mr. Deepankar Mishra, Mr. Abhishek Kotnala, Mr. Karmanya Dev Sharma, and Ms. Avni Sharma from Mr. Pachnanda’s chambers. This landmark decision reinforces the importance of protecting intellectual property rights and sets a precedent for future cases involving e-commerce platforms and trademark infringement.

WhatsApp is down for many users in India. Users were facing issues with sending and receiving messages. According to the internet app tracking site Downdetector, the issue started around 9.10 pm on Friday. Several users shared that what they thought was an issue with their wifi or data, turned out that the app was down in fact. The issue started resolving around 9.32, at least 20 minutes after the outage. Some users even reported facing issues with WhatsApp calls as well. As per the Downdetector, the most hit areas were Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru and Chennai while minor outages were reported across India. According to the data on the DownDetector website, WhatsApp was inaccessible for around 11,708 people at around 9.11 PM. After the chat app faced an outage, several users took to social media platform X to confirm the development. “didn’t even notice WhatsApp is down,” a user wrote. Another user said that he was trying to reboot his phone for one hours wondering if his phone is having an issue. “I have been trying to reboot my phone for 1 hour now thinking my phone had an issue…only to find out from you guys that my phone is WhatsApp is down,” he said. A user found the funny side of it and said, ” Many people are saying WhatsApp is down, but my is still working very well Or I my using the wrong WhatsApp?”. In another development, the Maharashtra government on Friday announced that more than 500 services from its ‘Aaple Sarkar’ portal will now be available through WhatsApp. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis made the announcement during the inauguration of `Mumbai Tech Week 2025′ here, where an MoU was signed between the state’s Information Technology Department and Meta, which owns WhatsApp. Additionally, an agreement was signed between the Mumbai Metropolitan Region Development Authority and the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for allotment of land in the Bandra Kurla Complex here for the NPCI’s global headquarters. A `Knowledge AI Hub’ will be established in collaboration with TEAM to promote advancements in artificial intelligence, an official statement said. The government also announced the establishment of an Entrepreneurship Museum to inspire and support start-ups.

Indian businessman Adil Qumar Akhtar, a UAE Golden Visa holder, is under investigation for alleged financial and identity fraud spanning multiple countries. Operating from Dubai under the guise of a real estate entrepreneur, Akhtar is accused of forging identities, defrauding investors, and misusing financial networks. Authorities in India and the UAE are now on high alert as reports suggest his possible links to organized crime. Passport Fraud: Manipulating Indian Regulations Investigations reveal that Akhtar, originally from Barauni, Bihar, obtained an Indian passport in Mumbai (August 2023) using a fraudulent residential address. This act violates Section 12 of the Indian Passport Act, 1967, allowing him to move freely between India and the UAE while evading scrutiny. Concealing Marital Status for Immigration Benefits Authorities also found discrepancies in Akhtar’s marital status. While undisclosed in India, he reported it in the UAE, possibly to exploit residency benefits. This raises concerns over immigration loopholes that may be enabling other fugitives to misuse similar tactics. Fraudulent UAE Golden Visa Acquisition Akhtar secured his UAE Golden Visa in October 2024, a status reserved for top investors and professionals. Reports indicate he concealed key details and submitted false documents to obtain it, allowing access to financial networks and international investments. Links to Drug Syndicates & UAE Escape Authorities suspect Akhtar’s ties to convicted Dubai-based drug trafficker Tanya Suryavanshi. Following a crackdown, he fled Dubai with an associate, Abhishek Jha, on November 29, 2024. His escape is seen as an attempt to avoid prosecution for financial fraud and possible drug-related charges. Where is Adil Qumar Akhtar Now? While Suryavanshi remains in Dubai’s custody, Akhtar and Jha are reportedly hiding in India. Interpol and UAE officials are working to track them down, but Akhtar continues to operate under false pretenses, falsely claiming to be Chief Business Development Officer at Everbridge Shipping LLC, Dubai. Authorities Question Possible Protection Despite mounting evidence, Akhtar remains at large, raising concerns about possible local protection. With stolen funds at his disposal, authorities are investigating whether he has secured immunity through corruption. This case highlights urgent gaps in cross-border fraud detection and calls for stronger cooperation between Indian and UAE agencies. Authorities must act swiftly before Akhtar disappears once again.

NEW DELHI: A new initiative in the fight against malnutrition is gaining traction with the support of celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor. He has partnered with HarvestPlus Solutions’ Nutri-Pathshala, an initiative focused on improving school meals through biofortified foods like iron pearl millet and zinc wheat. Over the past two years, the program has served more than 25 lakh meals, addressing malnutrition at its root. Kapoor, known for promoting healthy eating, met Nutri-Pathshala’s “student champions” in Pune in December. Impressed by their ability to read nutrition labels, he emphasized the importance of instilling healthy eating habits from a young age. “When learning starts young, health becomes a matter of taste. These children can impact the nation’s well-being through nutrition education,” Kapoor said. Nutri-Pathshala, a Make-in-India initiative, is expected to expand with Kapoor’s involvement. Ravinder Grover, global manager at HarvestPlus Solutions, highlighted the movement’s vision: “Imagine a world where every school meal builds stronger bodies and sharper minds. With Chef Kapoor’s support, Nutri-Pathshala is transforming school nutrition.” To make healthy eating more appealing, the program reinvents traditional foods like bhakri, chiwda, and laddoos using biofortified ingredients. Modern options like nutri-bars and healthy cookies have also been introduced. Biofortification, a process developed by Dr. Howarth Bouis in the 1990s, enhances food crops with essential nutrients. This movement has benefitted over 300 million people in India and Africa. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has endorsed biofortification, releasing 109 biofortified crop varieties. With support from governments and corporations, Nutri-Pathshala is complementing the Mid-Day Meal program and aims to reach 10 million children by 2030.

New Delhi: Samsung is all set to release its highly anticipated One UI 7 update, based on Android 15, starting in mid-April 2025. According to leaked details, the update will first roll out to flagship models like the Galaxy S24 series, with older devices following in a phased approach. The full rollout is expected to be completed by the end of May, ensuring that a wide range of Samsung users can enjoy the latest features and improvements. Flagship Phones to Receive the Update First Leaked reports suggest that Samsung’s top-tier smartphones will get the One UI 7 update starting April 18. The Galaxy S24 series, including the S24, S24+, S24 Ultra, and S24 FE, will be among the first devices to receive the update. Samsung’s latest foldable models, the Galaxy Z Flip6 and Galaxy Z Fold6, will also be updated on the same day. Reports suggest that Samsung has begun beta testing One UI 7 on its foldable devices. Moreover, the company’s One UI Beta Program forum has listed these models, hinting that an official beta rollout could be just around the corner. What to Expect from One UI 7? The upcoming update is expected to bring several exciting enhancements, especially for Samsung’s foldable devices. Key improvements include: Enhanced multitasking capabilities to boost productivity. Smoother navigation for a more intuitive user experience. Performance optimizations for improved battery life and faster operation. Samsung users can look forward to a more refined, seamless experience with One UI 7, as the company continues to enhance its software for better efficiency and usability.

New Delhi: Meta apologized on Thursday for a mistake that caused some users’ Instagram Reels feeds to be filled with violent and graphic videos. The company confirmed that the issue has been resolved, according to a report by Reuters. While Meta, which also owns Facebook, WhatsApp, and Threads, didn’t specify how many users were affected, it has not revealed the cause of the error either. The apology followed complaints from several social media users who reported seeing violent and inappropriate content in their Instagram Reels feeds. Many of those affected claimed that they were still encountering such content even after enabling the ‘sensitive content control’ setting, which is designed to filter out inappropriate material. “We have fixed an error that caused some users to see content in their Instagram Reels feed that should not have been recommended. We apologize for the mistake,” a Meta spokesperson told Reuters. Meta’s moderation policies have faced criticism after the company decided last month to end its U.S. fact-checking program on Facebook, Instagram, and Threads—three of the world’s largest social media platforms with over 3 billion users globally. Under Meta’s policy, violent and graphic videos are generally prohibited, and the company removes such content to safeguard users. However, exceptions are made for videos that aim to raise awareness about issues such as human rights abuses and conflicts. In recent years, Meta has increasingly relied on automated moderation tools, a trend that is expected to grow with the decision to end fact-checking in the United States. The company has faced criticism for struggling to strike the right balance between content recommendations and user safety. This has been evident in incidents such as the spread of violent content during the Myanmar genocide, Instagram promoting eating disorder content to teens, and the spread of misinformation during the COVID-19 pandemic.