Trade Marks Act, 1999
142. Groundless threats of legal proceedings.-
(1) Where a person, by means of circulars,
advertisements or otherwise, threatens a person with an action or proceeding
for infringement of trade mark which is registered, or alleged by the
first-mentioned person to be registered, or with some other like proceeding, a
person aggrieved may, whether the person making the threats is or is not the
registered proprietor or the registered user of the trade mark, bring a suit
against the first-mentioned person and may obtain a declaration to the effect
that the threats are unjustifiable, and an injunction against the continuance
of the threats and may recover such damages (if any) as he has sustained,
unless the first-mentioned person satisfies the court that the trade mark is
registered and that the acts in respect of which the proceedings were
threatened, constitute, or if done, would constitute, an infringement of the
trade mark.
(2) That last proceeding sub-section does not
apply if the registered proprietor of the trade mark, or a registered user
acting in pursuance of sub-section (1) of section 52 with due diligence
commences and prosecutes an action against the person threatened for
infringement of the trade mark.
(3) Nothing in this section shall render a
legal practitioner or a registered trade marks agent liable to an action under
this section in respect of an act done by him in his professional capacity on
behalf of a client.
(4) A suit under sub-section (1) shall not be
instituted in any court inferior to a District Court.