M&M wins cybersquatting case at WIPO

NEW DELHI: Farm equipment-to-software group Mahindra & Mahindra has won a cybersquatting case at the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) against a US-based firm, which had tried to block domain name, 'mahindralogistics.com'.

M&M had challenged registering of the domain name by Portfolio Brains LLC of the US, at the World Intellectual Property Organisation stating it was identical and confusing with its subsidiary, Mahindra Logistics Ltd and "deceptively similar to the Mahindra marks".

The Geneva-based WIPO Arbitration and Mediation Center has ordered the transfer of domain name mahindralogistics.com used by Portfolio Brains LLC, to M&M. The disputed domain name "mahindralogistics.com" is registered with NameKing.com by Portfolio Brains.

The WIPO appointed panel found that Portfolio Brains "registered and used the disputed domain name in bad faith" and ordered the transfer of domain name to the M&M.

M&M is proprietor of numerous trademark registrations for MAHINDRA worldwide, the WIPO said.

As per the information available with WIPO, M&M had filed the complaint against the US-based firm on February 18 this year, although the domain name was first registered on March 12, 2007. It has not yet been used in connection with an active website.