D-Mart vs 'd mart' courtroom drama ahead of IPO

Delhi HC issues notice as namesake moves for restraint order on alleged trademark infringement

It was March 7, hours before the D-Mart initial public offering (IPO) opened for subscription in the bourses. The top executives and bankers of mothership Avenue Supermarts were busy with last-minute errands and calls. Hundreds of miles away in the Delhi High Court, a petition came for hearing before judge Rajiv Sahai Endlaw. Dolphin Mart, a firm based in the capital’s Okhla Industrial Area, sought an injunction against the usage of the ‘D-Mart’ name.
 
Promoted by K V Rao, a former executive of the Shriram group’s Usha International in 1992, Dolphin Mart deals in what it calls ‘Lifestyle Retail’.