Delhi HC Backs Haveli Restaurants, Bars ‘Punjabi Haveli’ From Using Mark

The Delhi High Court has ruled in favour of Haveli Restaurant and Resorts, restraining a Ludhiana-based company operating as “Punjabi Haveli” from using the “Haveli” mark and directing it to take down all related advertisements.

Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora passed the order while dealing with a trademark infringement suit filed by Haveli Restaurant and Resorts Ltd. against Adison Resorts Ltd. The plaintiff had approached the court seeking an urgent ex parte ad interim injunction, contending that the defendant’s adoption of the mark “Punjabi Haveli” amounted to infringement and passing off, and sought immediate relief to prevent further harm to its business reputation.

The court granted an ex parte ad interim injunction in favour of Haveli Restaurant and Resorts. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora observed, “It is evident that the impugned mark of the Defendant is identical to the trademarks of the Plaintiff, and the Defendant has copied all features with the sole intention to unlawfully ride upon the goodwill and reputation of the Plaintiff.”

In its plea, the plaintiff stated that it has used the “Haveli” mark since 2001 in connection with restaurants and related services. The plaintiff submitted that the mark “Haveli” has acquired secondary meaning and is widely recognised by the public. It contended that the defendant had only recently applied in July 2023 to register the mark “Punjabi Haveli” in Class 43 on a “proposed to be used” basis. Despite this, the defendant had proceeded to adopt the name and set up operations in a manner that copied the look and feel of Haveli’s establishments. The plaintiff argued that this was a deliberate attempt to misappropriate its goodwill and reputation.’’

The plaintiffs also submitted that they had entered into discussions with the defendant in 2021 regarding a potential business arrangement, under which the defendant’s premises were proposed to be absorbed into the Haveli chain. During these talks, Haveli claimed it had, in good faith, shared conceptual, business, and aesthetic insights with the defendant. However, the deal did not go through, and no agreement or understanding was ever executed between the parties.

It was further alleged that the defendant had gone beyond merely adopting the word mark. According to the plaintiff, the defendant had copied the red-and-white colour scheme, the stylistic features of the trademark, the décor, the branding style, and the overall ambience of the restaurants. The plaintiff also placed on record evidence from social media to show that customers had mistakenly tagged its official pages while in fact referring to the defendant’s outlet, proving that confusion had already arisen.

After reviewing the plaint and documents, Justice Arora observed that the similarities between the marks and establishments were striking. The court found that the defendant had used the same red-and-white colour scheme and font style, while the word “Punjabi” was displayed in a much smaller font than “Haveli.” This, the court said, made the word “Haveli” the dominant element of the impugned mark and created an impression of connection with the plaintiff. Screenshots of social media posts further supported this finding.

The court stated that the defendant’s impugned mark was identical to the plaintiff’s trademarks and that the adoption was intended to unlawfully ride on the goodwill and reputation built by the plaintiff.

The High Court issued an ex parte ad interim injunction restraining the defendant, its proprietors, partners, agents, and representatives from using “Punjabi Haveli” or any deceptively similar variant. The defendant was directed to remove boards, hoardings, and display materials bearing the impugned mark, delete social media accounts under that name, and withdraw advertisements or listings from third-party websites.

The court ordered that these directions be complied with within one week of receipt of the order. It was further directed that if the defendant failed to comply with these directions within the stipulated time, a Local Commissioner would be appointed to ensure enforcement. The matter has been scheduled before the Joint Registrar on September 26, 2025, for completion of pleadings, and before the court on February 17, 2026.

Case Title: Haveli Restaurant and Resorts Ltd. v. Adison Resorts Ltd.

Order Date: 19 August 2025

Bench: Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, High Court of Delhi at New Delhi