Israel-based Sarine Technologies Ltd. has further expanded its enforcement efforts against intellectual property (IP) piracy in India by taking additional legal actions against suspected infringers, including court-appointed commissioner raids on eight facilities suspected of using illicit hardware and software.
Sarine has filed additional lawsuits against a number of Indian entities in and around the city of Surat, India, and was granted ex-parte orders for court commissioners to visit the premises of the alleged infringers to ascertain the presumed facts. The said court-ordered raids were executed on 18th May 2022 at eight various locations.
Sarine said it is not in a position to disclose any details about the executed fact-finding searches owing to confidentiality commitments undertaken and as the court proceedings are sub-judice. However, it is believed that the court commissioners were able to find materials, relating both to hardware and/or software, which appear to be infringing its patent and copyright IP.
David Block, Chief Executive Officer of Sarine, stated, “For the past thirty-plus years, Sarine’s innovative and ground-breaking technologies have supported the diamond industry in India and led to ever increasing levels of manufacturing sophistication, higher yields and better quality, all at reduced levels of risk, thereby enhancing its profitability and propelling it to effectively dominate world diamond production.
“It is unfortunate that unscrupulous parties are tainting the entire Indian diamond industry. We are encouraged by the court’s swift action, its understanding of the gravity of the situation and its granting of immediate steps to protect Sarine’s legal rights. We are hopeful that the measures necessary to halt these blatantly illicit practices will be implemented not only to rightfully protect Sarine’s substantial investments in its IP, but also to safeguard the integrity of India’s diamond industry that relies so heavily on the public’s trust, and to enable Sarine to continue developing ever more advanced technologies for the diamond industry.”