Delhi HC Grants Ex-Parte Injunction Against Unknown Entities for Running Fraudulent Investment Schemes Using 'SUEZ' Trademark

Factual Background

The Plaintiffs have been active in the Indian water and waste-water management sector since 1978 and currently operate more than 50 treatment infrastructures in India. Plaintiff No. 1 is the registered owner of the "SUEZ" marks, including various device marks registered in multiple classes such as Class 9, 19, and 99. The group reported an annual revenue of 9.2 Billion Euros in 2024. The suit was filed after the Plaintiffs discovered that unknown entities were using the "SUEZ" mark to offer investment schemes to the public. These schemes were promoted through: Websites: www.waterineco.com and www.waterenvin.com, registered on May 7, 2025. As per the suit, an Android-based application called "SUEZ" , Telegram group (https://t.me/OfficialGroup_w) and various YouTube videos were used by defendants. The Plaintiffs' investigation revealed that the defendants mandated payments through various UPI IDs and phone numbers, which changed upon every attempt.

The legal team representing SUEZ—led by Ms. Saya Choudhary, Mr. Sajan Shankar, Mr. Partheshwar Singh, and Mr. Vishambher Bareja—established that the "SUEZ" marks are well-known and that the Group holds multiple registrations for the same. The fraud came to light when the Plaintiffs discovered that "John Doe" entities were using their name to promote "VIP Daily Withdrawal" and "Stable Income" schemes

The Court noted that the defendants used the Plaintiffs' marks and name to offer investment schemes across India. It found that the unauthorized operation of the Telegram channel and websites could lead individuals to believe they were affiliated with the Plaintiffs. Consequently, the Court granted an exemption from pre-institution mediation under Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015, citing the urgency of the interim relief.

The Court issued the following directions to protect the Plaintiffs' marks and the public interest:

1. Injunction and Takedowns

• Defendant No. 1 is restrained from using the "SUEZ" mark or any deceptively similar mark for investment schemes or domain names.
• Domain Registrars were ordered to lock and suspend www.waterineco.com and www.waterenvin.com.
• Google (YouTube) was directed to take down several URLs, including https://youtu.be/UTCZu9L7CMY and https://youtu.be/oJXiv8S_KtY.
• Telegram was ordered to block the group https://t.me/OfficialGroup_w.

2. Telecom and Financial Restraints

The Court ordered the blocking of 14 phone numbers and the suspension of 11 UPI IDs associated with the fraud.

Blocked Phone Numbers:

• 7717726869, 6387892683, 7477515559, 9982674072, 8639564782, 9122247404, 8658257252, 8441909956, 7086704905, 9234090763, 7005313932, 8756026165, 9381188600, 9989609015.

Suspended UPI IDs:

• nursi@freecharge, spare4628@freecharge, afzalur541@freecharge, ali.mofij@freecharge, shiva138@freecharge, prince7740@indus, dhirajkumar02@freecharge, ak7172416@freecharge, sadanand86@freecharge, varshith.v@indus, balvinder-44@ptyes.

Banks (Defendants 16 to 18) were further directed to freeze the accounts associated with these UPI IDs. All intermediaries are required to file KYC details, bank account information, and IP logs of the operators in a sealed cover or password-protected document The Court dispensed with the mandatory pre-institution mediation required under the Commercial Courts Act, 2015, highlighting that the "urgent interim relief" was necessary to prevent further financial loss to the public. This case serves as a critical precedent for brand owners facing organized cyber-squatting and financial impersonation.

The matter is set for completion of service and pleadings before the Joint Registrar on February 2, 2026, and will be heard again by the Court on March 19, 2026.

Case Number: CS(COMM) 1304/2025

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