A Gurugram commercial court has delivered a landmark judgment, slapping ₹55 lakh in damages on Retnec Solutions Pvt Ltd for trademark infringement and operating fraudulent call centers under the guise of Microsoft’s branding. The company was found guilty of exploiting Microsoft’s trademarks, including “HOTMAIL,” “OUTLOOK,” and “OFFICE 365,” to run deceptive technical support schemes.
Presiding judge Mahavir Singh issued a permanent injunction against Retnec, barring them from misusing Microsoft’s intellectual property, and ordered the destruction of all counterfeit materials. The Court further directed that Microsoft receive ₹20.6 lakh in litigation costs in addition to punitive damages for reputational harm.
Retnec’s operations, uncovered during a 2018 police raid, included fraudulent pop-ups, cold calls, and scare tactics claiming users’ systems were infected with malware. Evidence seized at their Gurugram call center revealed fake invoices, payment trails, and detailed scripts used to manipulate victims. Microsoft alleged these actions resulted in over 700,000 global complaints and caused significant damage to its goodwill and finances.
The court decreed ₹50 lakh in damages jointly against Retnec’s primary operators, Zayed Sahaye and Akshay Anand, while other affiliates were held liable for ₹5 lakh. A permanent injunction was issued to prevent the continuation of these illicit practices, and Retnec was ordered to surrender all materials bearing Microsoft’s branding for destruction.
This case highlights the severe consequences of trademark infringement and fraudulent practices, sending a clear message against misuse of intellectual property to deceive consumers.
