Factual and Procedural Background Atomberg Technologies sued Stove Kraft Limited after spotting a ceiling fan sold under the Pigeon brand that it believed copied the look of its own Renesa Alpha fan. Atomberg had registered the fan’s design in January 2020 and had been selling it openly since November 2020. Claiming the rival product was an imitation, Atomberg asked the Bombay High Court for an immediate ban on its manufacture and sale and for a court receiver to seize the offending fans. In July 2025 the court passed an ex-parte order granting that relief and the receiver carried out the seizure. After both sides filed their replies and arguments, the court heard the interim application in detail.
Dispute in Question The fight was over whether Stove Kraft’s Pigeon Fan-tastic BLDC ceiling fan looked so similar to Atomberg’s registered design that it amounted to design infringement and passing off. Atomberg said the overall shape and style were nearly identical and would confuse buyers, while Stove Kraft argued the fans were visibly different, that Atomberg’s design was not truly new, and that no customer would mistake one brand for the other.
Reasoning and Decision of Court The judge compared photographs of both fans and examined the actual products in court. She found that the basic parts of any ceiling fan—blades, shank, canopy and motor housing—are common and cannot be protected unless something truly distinctive is copied. On a plain look, the two fans showed clear differences in blade shape, curves and other details that an ordinary buyer would notice. The court also observed that Atomberg had compared its later models rather than the exact registered design and had not proved strong goodwill tied only to that design or any real risk of confusion. Finding no prima facie case, the court dismissed the interim application, discharged the court receiver and ordered the seized goods to be released back to Stove Kraft.
Title: Atomberg Technologies Private Limited Vs Stove Kraft Limited, Order date: 17th April 2026, Case Number: Interim Application No. 88 of 2026 in Commercial (IP) Suit No. 710 of 2025, Neutral Citation: 2026:BHC:OS:9652, Name of court and Judge: IN THE HIGH COURT OF JUDICATURE AT BOMBAY, Gauri Godse J
Disclaimer: Donot treat this as substitute for legal advise as it may contain subjective errors. Written By: Advocate Ajay Amitabh Suman, IP Adjutor [Patent and Trademark Attorney], High Court of Delhi
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