Delhi HC stays Rs 340 crore damages order against Amazon in trademark case

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday stayed an earlier order that had directed Amazon Technologies to pay Rs 340 crore in damages to Lifestyle Equities for alleged trademark infringement involving the ‘ Beverly Hills Polo Club’ brand. The division bench also stayed the cost imposed by the single judge.

The stay is subject to Amazon complying with the remaining directions issued by the single judge bench in the case, the division bench led by Justice Hari Shankar ordered.

In May, Amazon Technologies approached the division bench to challenge the February ruling. The single judge, Justice Prathiba M Singh, had ordered the company to stop selling, advertising, or dealing in any products that used the mark or logo similar to Lifestyle’s registered trademark.

Lifestyle Equities and Lifestyle Licensing claimed ownership of the 'Beverly Hills Polo Club' trademark and said the brand held goodwill in both domestic and global markets. They had launched the brand in India in 2007 and offer a range of products including clothing, watches, eyewear, bags, and footwear.

Amazon had told the division bench that the single judge’s findings lacked supporting evidence of infringement and said the matter needed detailed legal scrutiny.

The earlier judgment had observed that Amazon Technologies was offering similar products at a fraction of Lifestyle’s pricing, and called it a strategy of obfuscation, given Amazon’s market dominance.