Summary: The Bombay High Court has decided that "The New Indian Express" cannot use its name for events outside certain southern states and union territories. This decision comes from a long-standing disagreement between The Indian Express and Express Publications Madurai.
This case goes back to a family argument involving the Indian Express Group, started by Ramnath Goenka. His grandsons, Vivek Goenka and Manoj Kumar Sonthalia, were involved in a legal fight over shares and control of the company. An agreement in 1995 tried to sort these issues by dividing rights and areas.
According to the agreement, Vivek Goenka kept the rights to "Indian Express," while Manoj Kumar Sonthalia's group got limited rights to use "New Indian Express" in some southern states and union territories. This was only for newspaper publication, not for events or promotions elsewhere.
"The Defendant would not use the name 'New Indian Express' for any other purpose or in any other area," said the court order.
The court case started when Express Publications Madurai planned an event in Mumbai using the "New Indian Express" name. The Indian Express argued this broke their agreement, and the court agreed, saying the agreement was clear about where the name could be used.
Justice R.I. Chagla decided that using "New Indian Express" outside the agreed areas was not allowed. The court stressed that the agreement was a binding deal and using the name beyond what was agreed on was breaking the rules.
The court also rejected claims that The Indian Express had allowed the misuse of the name. The judgment stated that there was no giving up of rights, and the agreement terms were still valid.
The Bombay High Court's decision reinforces the agreement terms, limiting the use of "New Indian Express" to specific regions and purposes. This ensures that The Indian Express's rights are protected and upheld.
