US-based Burger King loses infringement suit against namesake Pune eatery

US giant Burger King Corporation has lost a 13-year-old legal battle against its namesake eatery in Maharashtra's Pune after a district court here dismissed a suit filed by the company alleging trademark infringement.

Pune district judge Sunil Vedpathak, in the order on August 16, said the city-based eatery 'Burger King' was operating even before the US burger joint opened shop in India and that the latter failed to prove the local food outlet had infringed its trademark.

The court dismissed the 2011 suit filed by the Burger King Corporation, seeking a permanent injunction restraining infringement of trademark, passing off (the trademark as theirs), as well as monetary damages.

The suit, filed against Anahita Irani and Shapoor Irani, owners of the Pune-based Burger King food joint, also sought Rs 20 lakh as damages.

On the plaintiff company's demand for permanent injunction, the court said the Burger King Corporation started to provide services through restaurants under its tradema