The Delhi High Court has stepped in to curb an alleged recruitment scam that misused the name and trademarks of Akasa Air, issuing an interim order against a cluster of entities accused of posing as the airline’s representatives.
The case was brought by SNV Aviation Private Limited, which operates Akasa Air, after the company flagged what it described as a coordinated effort to deceive job seekers. According to the airline, the defendants reached out through calls and emails, presenting themselves as authorised recruiters and demanding so-called “process fees” for jobs—something Akasa Air says it does not do under any circumstances.
After examining the material placed before it, the Court found enough grounds to grant immediate protection. It observed that approaching unsuspecting members of the public with false job offers, while claiming association with the airline and extracting money in the process, amounted to clear misrepresentation and passing off.
The airline told the Court that its registered marks, including “AKASA” and “AKASA AIR”, were being used without permission. It also pointed to deceptively similar names such as “AKASHA” and “AKAASA”, along with lookalike domain names, all allegedly designed to give job seekers the impression that the communications were genuine and airline-backed.
Akasa Air said it had received multiple complaints from the public and warned that the scam had caused serious damage to its reputation and public trust.
Acting on these concerns, the Court restrained the defendants from using Akasa Air’s trademarks or any confusingly similar variants in any form—whether through websites, email IDs, or recruitment messages. It also ordered domain registrars to suspend and lock specific websites allegedly used in the scam, including hrakasaair.com, akaasaservices.com and akasaairltd.com.
Further directions were issued for disclosure of identity details linked to the alleged impersonators, alongside the blocking of mobile numbers, UPI IDs and bank accounts connected to the operation. Government departments dealing with information technology and telecommunications were asked to ensure that service providers act on these instructions.
The case will next be reviewed by the Joint Registrar in early February 2026, with a further hearing scheduled before the Court in May.
