A Legal Battle Over the ‘Lodha’ Brand

Macrotech is also known for developing Palava City near Mumbai. However, the company is currently embroiled in a legal dispute with House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL), led by Abhishek Lodha’s brother, Abhinandan Lodha. This dispute centers around the alleged unlawful use of the ‘Lodha’ brand name.

Trademark Ownership and Family Agreements

Macrotech Developers claims ownership of the ‘Lodha’ trademark since the 1980s. The company asserts that it has spent ₹1,700 crore over a decade and facilitated ₹91,000 crore in domestic property sales. Initially, an internal agreement allowed all Lodha Group companies to use the trademark until 2015. After 2015, Abhinandan Lodha separated to establish his own business. A Family Settlement Agreement in 2017 formalized this separation. Further, in December 2023, an additional agreement restricted Abhinandan’s use of the ‘Lodha’ name. These agreements stipulated that Abhinandan was to focus on a non-competing venture, while Abhishek retained control of the real estate business under Macrotech.

The 2017 agreement granted Macrotech all real estate-related intellectual property rights. Furthermore, a non-compete clause was put in place, limiting Abhinandan’s real estate activities. A subsequent 2023 agreement reinforced restrictions on using names similar to ‘Lodha’. Despite these agreements, Macrotech alleges Abhinandan’s companies continued to infringe on the ‘Lodha’ trademark.

The Legal Dispute

Macrotech Developers filed a ₹5,000 crore lawsuit against Abhinandan Lodha’s HoABL, alleging trademark infringement. The suit contends that Abhinandan’s firms unlawfully used the ‘Lodha’ and ‘Lodha Group’ brand names. Specifically, Macrotech claims that despite the agreements, Abhinandan’s companies continued to infringe on the ‘Lodha’ trademark.

In September 2024, Macrotech demanded that Abhinandan’s companies cease using the ‘Lodha’ name and issue disclaimers. Although the defendant admitted to using the name ‘Lodha Ventures’, they allegedly failed to deactivate certain domain names. Macrotech is seeking a permanent injunction to stop Abhinandan’s entities from using the ‘Lodha’ trademark, preventing them from offering services that cause consumer confusion, and claims ₹5,000 crore in damages. They also seek a detailed account of the defendants’ business operations and the destruction of infringing materials.

Abhinandan Lodha’s Defense

Abhinandan Lodha argues that his companies, Lodha Ventures and Lodha FinServ, were part of the family settlement. He maintains that there was an understanding that the ‘Lodha’ name would not be used on a standalone basis in real estate, hence the name ‘House of Abhinandan Lodha’. HoABL focuses on plotted development projects, having launched 14 projects, including developments in Ayodhya, and has acquired land in multiple cities. They consider land a good investment with high potential for investors in the long term.

Court Proceedings

The Bombay High Court is hearing the case. Initially, the case was heard by a single judge, but it was later moved to a larger bench due to the significant damages claimed. Justice Arif Doctor is now scheduled to hear the matter on January 27.