Indira IVF successfully reclaims its stolen domain through UDRP

In a significant victory for Indira IVF, a fertility clinic chain, the company has reclaimed its stolen domain, IndiraIVF.com, through a successful Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy (UDRP).

The domain was registered in 2010, though late last year, the domain was unauthorisedly transferred, a theft that went unnoticed initially because the domain continued to resolve to Indira IVF’s website.

Indira IVF filed its UDRP complaint with the (Corporate Affairs Commission CAC), asserting its trademark rights over Indira and Indira IVF, registered with the Indian Trade Marks Registry. The company argued that the domain was identical to its trademarks, that the unauthorised holder had no legitimate interest in it, and that the domain was being held in bad faith, likely to exploit Indira IVF’s brand or disrupt its operations.

The CAC panellist reviewed the evidence, including the company’s trademark certificates and the domain’s unauthorised transfer history.

The respondent, the party holding the stolen domain, failed to submit a response. The panellist found that Indira IVF met all three UDRP criteria: the domain was identical or confusingly similar to its trademarks, the respondent lacked any rights or legitimate interests, and the domain was registered and used in bad faith.

Indira IVF, represented by legal counsel Ankur Raheja argued that the domain was identical to its registered marks and that the unauthorised holder had no legitimate interest in it. The fertility clinic showed evidence that the domain was being used in bad faith and was likely to exploit Indira IVF’s reputation or disrupt its operations ahead of the IPO.

Upon review, the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) ordered the domain’s transfer back to Indira IVF Hospital Pvt Ltd and affirmed the company’s rightful ownership.

Raheja said, “For Indira IVF, losing IndiraIVF.com could have confused patients, eroded trust, or even redirected traffic to fraudulent sites. The fact that the theft occurred in the domain aftermarket where stolen or hacked domains are resold underscores the need for vigilance. This was a critical win ahead of their upcoming IPO.”

The domain name was hijacked/stolen on October 31, 2024, through an unauthorised transfer, and continues to host the complainant’s original website content, creating a risk of misuse, phishing, and consumer deception.

India