Sangareddy: Court asks YouTuber Aditya Prabhakar to pay ₹50L to PURE EV in damages

Sangareddy: A local court in Sangareddy has asked YouTuber Aditya Prabhakar to pay ₹50 lakh in damages to PURE Energy Limited (PURE EV) for running a malicious campaign against the electric vehicle manufacturer.

Principal Senior Civil Judge, Sangareddy, .... said that social media influencer Aditya Prabhakar, who runs `EV TraxelXP’, engaged in a deliberate campaign to tarnish the company's reputation and dilute its trademark.

The judgment marks a significant legal win for the Indian startup ecosystem against malicious online defamation.

`POOR EV' and Trademark Dilution

The court found that Prabhakar didn't just critique the products; he actively manipulated brand identity. Key findings from the judgment in O.S. No. 78 of 2024 include:

Brand Manipulation: The defendant used altered branding, mockingly referring to the company as “POOR EV.”

Misrepresentation: The court noted the manipulation of visual content to mislead the public about the quality of the company’s electric vehicles.

Trademark Dilution: The judge ruled that these actions constituted an unlawful interference with a registered trademark, causing "irreparable commercial harm."

Because the defendant failed to appear or contest the proceedings despite receiving due notice, the court passed the ruling ex parte.

More Than Just a Fine

In addition to the ₹50 lakh penalty, the court imposed several mandatory requirements on the YouTuber:

Litigation Costs: Payment of ₹73,383 to cover the company's legal expenses.

Content Removal: An immediate, permanent injunction to remove all defamatory videos from digital platforms.

Public Apologies: The defendant must publish formal apologies in national newspapers and across his own social media channels.

A Shield for Startups

PURE Energy, which originated at the Technology Incubation Center of IIT Hyderabad, successfully argued that its reputation is a protectable constitutional right. The company backed its claims with evidence of:

Over 100 intellectual property filings.

Deployment of more than 90,000 electric vehicles across South Asia.

Strict compliance with lithium battery engineering standards.

"The judgment establishes an important precedent for protecting Indian startups from malicious online attacks," stated MA Ismail Zabeullah of CHR Legal Associates, who represented PURE EV.

Why It Matters

This ruling is being hailed as a "landmark" for the deep-tech and clean mobility sectors. It reinforces the idea that while "fair comment" is protected, the malicious use of social media to destroy brand equity carries heavy financial and legal liabilities.

As the digital age makes it easier for individuals to reach mass audiences, the Indian judiciary has signaled that the "right to reputation" remains a valuable legal asset that startups can—and will—defend.

The petitioner was represented by MA Ismail Zabeullah of CHR Legal Associates on behalf of the company. The judgement order establishes an important precedent for protecting Indian startups and technology companies from malicious online attacks and defamatory digital campaigns.