The suit was filed by Shanghai Huanqiu Lock Making Company Limited and Valaram, the proprietor of Prince Impex (plaintiffs).
The plaintiffs said Shanghai Huanqiu manufactures locks under the GLOBE trademark and had built substantial reputation and goodwill in India and other countries.
According to them, the Tamil mark was phonetically and visually similar to their mark and was likely to confuse customers.
On November 28, 2025, the High Court passed an ex parte injunction restraining Mandoth from using the disputed mark.
He also claimed that he was a prior user of the Tamil mark.
The suit was filed by Shanghai Huanqiu Lock Making Company Limited and Valaram, the proprietor of Prince Impex (plaintiffs).
The plaintiffs said Shanghai Huanqiu manufactures locks under the GLOBE trademark and had built substantial reputation and goodwill in India and other countries.
They alleged that Mandoth was selling padlocks bearing the word “Globe” in Tamil. According to them, the Tamil mark was phonetically and visually similar to their mark and was likely to confuse customers.
They also alleged that Mandoth had copied the artistic work, colour combination, trade dress and overall appearance of their padlocks.
On November 28, 2025, the High Court passed an ex parte injunction restraining Mandoth from using the disputed mark. He then filed applications seeking to vacate the injunction.
Mandoth argued that his Tamil mark had been developed independently after considering the nature and function of the product. He added that the mark was registered and, therefore, he could not be prevented from using it.
He also claimed that he was a prior user of the Tamil mark.
