Bombay High Court allows JustDial to approach telecom tribunal to direct IndiaMart to produce allegedly stolen data

The Bombay High Court has allowed JustDial to approach the Telecom Disputes Settlement and Appellate Tribunal in a bid to get IndiaMart InterMesh to retrieve and produce deleted data of users and suppliers that were allegedly stolen from the former’s platform.

The court was hearing a copyright infringement dispute between the two B2B e-commerce companies and accepted JustDial’s plea that IndiaMart must deposit documents and the deleted data. The court directed the TDSAT to dispose of any application made by Just Dial expeditiously.

The legal battle started in November 2020, when JustDial was about to launch JD Mart, its B2B e-commerce platform, which would compete with IndiaMart. JD Mart started operating in February.

IndiaMart and JustDial have accused each other of infringing on their respective intellectual property rights, alleging that their website compilations had been copied.

When IndiaMart was asked to submit deleted logs and documents of Justdial data in court, it refused to do so, said people familiar with the matter, asking not to be named. Justdial then moved the Bombay High Court, which ruled that JustDial apply to the TDSAT to direct IndiaMart to furnish all documents and provide the allegedly stolen data from the former’s platform that was deleted as part of an internal process.

Just Dial is likely to approach the TDSAT soon, people aware of the matter said.

Moneycontrol’s e-mail queries to Just Dial and IndiaMart on the matter did not elicit any response.

Disclosure: Reliance Retail Ventures Limited (RRVL), the retail arm of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), is set to acquire a majority stake of 66.95 percent in Just Dial. RIL is the sole beneficiary of Independent Media Trust which controls Network18 Media & Investments Ltd.