|Gujarat High Court
Copyright Act | Mobile Accessories Not 'Artistic Work'; TM Act Search Safeguards (Registrar Opinion, DSP Officer) Mandatory : Gujarat HC
The court held that mobile phone accessories are functional commercial hardware, not 'artistic works' eligible for copyright protection, quashing an FIR filed under the Copyright Act. It further ruled that police searches for trademark violations require prior Registrar opinion and a DSP-rank officer under the Trade Marks Act, rendering the search and seizure procedurally invalid. The decision clarifies the copyright-trademark boundary and enforces statutory safeguards against misuse of criminal IP enforcement.