Delhi HC fines US based Portfolio Brains LLC running Arun Jaitley website

NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has cracked the whip on cybersquatters, especially those who are out to misuse the names of politicians. In a significant judgement, the court on Monday asked a US based company that has been running the website, www.arunjaitley.com, to transfer the domain name immediately to the Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, Arun Jaitley.

The court also asked the company, Portfolio Brains LLC, to pay a fine of Rs 5 lakh to the BJP leader. The court’s order came on a petition filed by Jaitley in 2009 against Portfolio Brains. The company had earlier asked the BJP leader to make an offer to purchase the domain name with an estimated value of $14,475 through its certified offer service.

“The defendant company (Portfolio Brains LLC) and its agents or entities operating at the same address or persons connected there to with the defendant (company), its entities and assignee are liable to pay the punitive damages to the tune of Rs 5 lakh to plaintiff (Jaitley) for causing hardship and harassment and mental torture to him in getting back the domain name,” Justice Manmohan Singh said in a judgement. The Delhi High Court restrained the Los Angeles-based company from “using, promoting, advertising or retaining or parting with the domain arunjaitley. com”.