The Vadodara police have registered an FIR in the Jagdish Farshan trademark dispute over allegations of website cloning, copyright infringement and cheating (Image generated using AI).For nearly nine decades, the name ‘Jagdish’ has been synonymous with Vadodara’s world-famous savoury snacks. But behind these crunchy, iconic farsan lies a fierce, long-running trademark war, one that has now moved from civil courtrooms to a criminal case over alleged digital piracy.On July 31, the Sayajigunj police in Vadodara registered an FIR against two business partners, Raju Shah and Ashish Shah, following a criminal complaint lodged by Kamlesh Kandoi, a partner at the historic Shree Jagdish Farshan.In the complaint, the Kandoi family stated that they have built substantial goodwill over the decades. They claimed the accused illegally duplicated their website, copying branding, imagery, and proprietary content, to launch a deceptively similar online portal aimed at stealing customer loyalty and passing off their enterprise as the original one running since 1938.The complaint further alleged that the Shahs, who share no historical ties to the founding family, deliberately deployed a cloned domain to mislead customers and dilute the original business’s reputation. It also claimed that the accused used the disputed identity while dealing with other companies, causing reputational and commercial harm to the complainant’s firm.Also Read | Panasonic wins trademark case: Delhi High Court junks ‘religious inspiration’ argument for ‘PONTA’ brand“While the dispute over the trademark and name remains a civil matter, the criminality in this specific case stems from the blatant theft of data,” said advocate Hitesh Gupta, representing the complainant.“The accused systematically copied my client’s visual identity and data to construct a duplicate website, causing direct financial loss.”The accused operate their own snack outlet using a variation of the ‘Jagdish’ brand at the Iscon Janmahal commercial complex outside the Vadodara railway station. The original Kandoi-run establishment also operates a flagship outlet at the same location, just a few metres away.Story continues below this adThe Sayajigunj police booked the Shahs under criminal charges of cheating involving property, alongside Copyright Act violations for criminal copyright infringement and falsification of records.As police investigations get underway, the accused duo could not be reached for comment.Aditi Raja is an Assistant Editor with The Indian Express, stationed in Vadodara, Gujarat, with over 20 years in the field. She has been reporting from the region of Central Gujarat and Narmada district for this newspaper since 2013, which establishes her as a highly Authoritative and Trustworthy source on regional politics, administration, and critical socio-economic and environmental issues. Expertise: Core Authority & Specialization: Her reporting is characterized by a comprehensive grasp of the complex factors shaping Central Gujarat, which comprises a vast tribal population, including: Politics and Administration: In-depth analysis of dynamics within factions of political parties and how it affects the affairs in the region, visits of national leaders making prominent statements, and government policy decisions impacting the population on ground. Crucial Regional Projects: She consistently reports on the socio-economic and political impact of infrastructure projects in the region, especially the Statue of Unity, the Sardar Sarovar Project on the Narmada River, the Mumbai-Ahmedabad High Speed Rail bullet train project as well as the National Highway infrastructure. Social Justice and Human Rights: Her reporting offers deep coverage of sensitive human-interest topics, including gender, crime, and tribal issues. Her reports cover legal proceedings from various district courts as well as the Gujarat High Court (e.g., the Bilkis Bano case remission, POCSO court orders, Public Interest Litigations), the plight of tribal communities, and broader social conflicts (e.g., Kheda flogging case). Local Impact & Disaster Reporting: Excels in documenting the immediate impact of events on communities, such as the political and civic fallout of the Vadodara floods, the subsequent public anger, and the long-delayed river redevelopment projects, Harni Boat Tragedy, Air India crash, bringing out a blend of stories from the investigations as well as human emotions. Special Interest Beat: She tracks incidents concerning Non-Resident Gujaratis (NRIs) including crime and legal battles abroad, issues of illegal immigration and deportations, as well as social events connecting the local Gujarati experience to the global diaspora. ... Read MoreStay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on InstagramTags:Vadodara