Swagath Delhi drags Telangana's Hotel Swagath to Delhi High Court over trademark dispute

In a fresh legal tussle over brand identity, the renowned North India-based restaurant chain Swagath Delhi has approached the Delhi High Court accusing a Telangana-based hotel and restaurant group, Hotel Swagath, of trademark infringement.

The suit, titled Ms Swagath v Dhanturi Hari Shankar & Anr, contends that Swagath Delhi has built considerable goodwill and public recognition under the brand name ‘SWAGATH’ across its operations in North India. The proprietors have not only sought an injunction to stop the rival’s alleged infringement but have also filed a rectification petition to cancel the Telangana group's registered trademark.

On July 4, Justice Amit Bansal admitted the suit and the petition, directing that notices be issued to the defendants. The matter has now been listed for August 27, 2025, when the Court will consider the plea for interim relief.

“Let the plaint be registered as a suit... List before the Court on 27th August, 2025 for consideration of the application for interim injunction,” the order read.

The defendants, Hotel Swagath, have been using the name ‘SWAGATH’ since 1991 and currently operate 11 restaurants and hotels across Telangana. Interestingly, they also previously ran a hotel under the same brand in Dubai for three years, adding an international angle to the dispute.

Representing Swagath Delhi in court were Advocates Hemant Singh, Mamta Rani Jha, Anupriya Shyam, and Anjeeta Rani from Inttl Advocare. On the other side, Hotel Swagath fielded a large team led by Senior Advocates Rajshekhar Rao and Resu Mahender Reddy, supported by a team including Advocates B. Shravanth Shankar, Rohit Bharadwaj, Prerna Robin, Shwetha Bhaskar Dhanturi, Vikas Dhanturi, Resu Kaushik Reddy, Shivnath Sawhney, Julien George, Anu Parcha, and Alka Bisht.

The case is set to test how courts interpret long-standing use versus territorial goodwill in trademark law—especially when similar names coexist in different regions of India. Legal observers are watching closely to see if the Delhi High Court will grant interim relief to Swagath Delhi, potentially reshaping brand protection strategies for hospitality businesses operating across state lines.

The next hearing is scheduled for August 27, 2025.

With input from Bar and Bench