Delhi High Court

Burlington Home Shopping Pvt Ltd v Rajnish Chibber

61 (1995) DLT 6; 1995 (35) DRJ 33519951 min read
The case in brief30-second read
Facts
The defendant, a former employee, used the plaintiff's database of customer addresses, built up through time, money and skill, for a competing business.
Issue
Whether the database was a literary work protected by copyright.
Held
A compilation of customer addresses created with labour, skill and money is a literary work under the Copyright Act, and its substantial copying was infringement. An injunction was granted.
Principle
Compilations such as customer databases are protected as literary works.

Facts

  • The defendant, a former employee, used the plaintiff's database of customer addresses, built up through time, money and skill, for a competing business.

Issue

  1. Whether the database was a literary work protected by copyright.

Held

  • A compilation of customer addresses created with labour, skill and money is a literary work under the Copyright Act, and its substantial copying was infringement. An injunction was granted.

Cite this

Citation

Burlington Home Shopping Pvt Ltd v Rajnish Chibber 61 (1995) DLT 6; 1995 (35) DRJ 335

Reported: https://indiankanoon.org/doc/130087/. This is an educational summary, not the judgment itself. Cite the reported version in professional or academic work.