Tirupati temple body issues legal notice to vendors for misuse of GI tag for laddu
Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) launched legal action against several entities unlawfully using the "Tirupati Laddu" name. The move comes after unauthorised vendors and online platforms were found selling or promoting products under the protected Geographical Indication (GI) tag without permission.TTD, through Sahadeva Law Chambers, served legal notices to multiple offenders, including major online retailers PushMyCart (Mahita LLC) and Transact Foods Limited.advertisementThese notices pointed out the violation of the GI registration under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999, which protects the exclusive rights to the Tirupati Laddu name and its preparation process.
The legal communication emphasised that the Tirupati Laddu is prepared solely within the Tirumala temple premises under TTD's strict supervision, following a traditional and sanctified method. Unauthorised use not only breaches legal protections but also diminishes the spiritual value of this revered prasadam, notice.In response, PushMyCart acknowledged the notice and suspended the infringing listings while conducting a legal review. Several other vendors have also voluntarily removed their listings after receiving TTD's warnings.Executive Officer of the Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams, J Shymala Rao, said, The Tirupati Laddu is not just a product, but a sacred prasadam with deep spiritual and cultural value. We are committed to taking all necessary legal steps to prevent its misuse and to protect the trust of crores of devotees worldwide.'advertisementThis action marks one of the first times in India that a temple prasadam protected under GI law has been defended through formal legal channels, including on international platforms.GI tag is a mark of regional specialty that signifies that a product originates from a specific geographic location and possesses qualities, characteristics, or reputation due to its origin.
IN THIS STORY#Andhra Pradesh
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Indian Express
2 hours ago
- New Indian Express
School teacher cooks up rape story against colleague, arrested in Thiruvananthapuram
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A woman teacher of an aided school in Thiruvananthapuram has been booked for fabricating a sexual abuse story involving a girl student to settle personal scores with another teacher. C R Chandralekha, a Hindi teacher at Raja Ravi Varma Higher Secondary School in Kilimanoor, was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act for falsely claiming that the girl, a Plus I student, was raped and impregnated by a male teacher of the school. As per the Kilimanoor police, Chandralekha had been at loggerheads with the male teacher over issues related to the school management. While the student was on leave owing to health issues, Chandralekha made up the rape story and circulated it via social media. The girl came to know about the allegation when she rejoined classes. However, by then, the fake story had spread like wildfire, forcing the student to drop out. 'The employees have been divided over the ownership of the school for years. Chandralekha and the male teacher belong to rival factions and she concocted the rape story to tarnish his reputation,' said an officer. Chandralekha also reportedly informed other institutions concerned about the alleged rape. However, a probe revealed that there was no truth to the allegation. Following this, the Parent Teacher Association of the school filed a complaint with the general education minister, based on which Chandralekha was suspended. The girl's mother has also filed a complaint with the chief minister.
Hans India
3 hours ago
- Hans India
TTD takes legal action to protect Tirupati laddu's GI status
Tirupati: To protect the sanctity and intellectual property of the sacred Tirupati Laddu, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD) has initiated legal proceedings against several unauthorised sellers and promoters found misusing the 'Tirupati Laddu' name. These actions come in response to violations of the laddu's registered Geographical Indication (GI) status. Legal notices, issued through Sahadeva Law Chambers, were sent to multiple online platforms and vendors, including PushMyCart (Mahita LLC) and Transact Foods Limited. These entities were accused of commercially exploiting the Tirupati Laddu name and falsely associating their products with the temple. The notices underscored that the Tirupati Laddu is a GI-protected item under the Geographical Indications of Goods (Registration and Protection) Act, 1999. Its preparation is carried out solely within the premises of the Tirumala temple, strictly under the supervision of the TTD and in adherence to a long-standing, sacred tradition. TTD argued that unauthorised use of the name not only infringes on its legal rights but also diminishes the spiritual sanctity of the offering. Following the issuance of the notices, PushMyCart acknowledged receipt and, in a gesture of goodwill, removed the infringing product listings while awaiting legal review. Several other vendors have similarly taken down their listings after TTD's firm intervention. Commenting on the development, the Executive Officer of TTD J Syamala Rao stated that the Tirupati Laddu is not merely a product but a holy prasadam carrying deep spiritual and cultural importance. He affirmed TTD's commitment to pursuing all necessary legal measures to prevent misuse and to uphold the trust of millions of devotees around the world. This legal action represents one of the first instances in India where a GI-protected temple offering has been defended through formal legal channels on international platforms. TTD continues to actively monitor for such violations and is resolute in preserving the authenticity and sanctity of its temple traditions.
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
Haryana: ‘Rented' brides: Bathinda man who duped 13 grooms across 3 states held
A 59-year-old man from Punjab, identified as Resham Singh, has been arrested for masterminding a series of fraudulent marriages across Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan. The accused had allegedly solemnised fake marriages by taking money from grooms, ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹10 lakh, and renting out brides for a short period before they fled with gold and cash. Singh was arrested following a joint raid by Haryana and Rajasthan police at a wedding function in Dabwali, Haryana, on June 1. At the time of his arrest, Singh was performing the role of a bride's father during the ceremony of a disabled groom from Moga district, Punjab. The bride, however, failed to provide any details about her father when questioned, leading to the immediate arrest of the accused. According to police, Resham Singh, originally from a village in Bathinda, Punjab, had been operating the scam for over nine year. He had been absconding since March 2024, when Rajasthan police had booked him in Bikaner for a similar fraud. In that case, Singh had duped two grooms by solemnising their marriages with fake brides. When the grooms attempted to register the marriages, they discovered that the documents for both brides were forged, and the brides had already fled. Singh's modus operandi involved targeting families that were struggling to find brides due to financial constraints or the advanced age of the grooms. He would set up fake weddings, where he or his accomplices would perform the role of the bride's family. After the marriage was completed, the bride would stay with the groom's family for a few days or months before disappearing with valuable gold ornaments and cash. In the course of his investigation, it was revealed that Singh had orchestrated at least 13 fraudulent marriages across Haryana, Punjab, and Rajasthan. The police said Singh had planned three marriages each in Bhiwani and Sonepat districts of Haryana, one each in Hisar and Ambala, two marriages in Punjab and three marriages in Rajasthan's Bikaner. A spokesperson for the Dabwali police said that in the recent case, Singh's accomplice, a woman, had taken ₹1 lakh from the groom's family, with the total marriage contract being finalised for ₹2 lakh. The woman involved has also been taken into custody. Lakhvir Singh, the station house officer (SHO) of Kolayat police station in Bikaner, Rajasthan, told reporters that the breakthrough came after receiving a tip-off that Resham Singh was organising yet another fraudulent marriage in Haryana. The police acted swiftly with the help of Haryana's law enforcement agencies and arrested Singh from the wedding venue in Dabwali. Resham Singh was previously booked in 2016 for a fake marriage case in *Rajasthan. Additionally, he is also facing ten cases of vehicle theft and three cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Singh's troubled financial situation, after his father sold their land in Punjab, led him to a life of crime. Initially working as a factory worker in Punjab, Singh eventually turned to criminal activities, starting with vehicle theft and later progressing to the fraudulent marriage racket. The police have now formed a special team to investigate further into Singh's criminal activities. Police said that Resham Singh has no contact with his wife and children, who are living in a village in Punjab.
