In Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd. v. John Doe (CS(COMM) 1075/2026), reported in the week of 19–25 October 2026, the Delhi High Court granted an ex parte interim injunction against unidentified people impersonating Kotak Mahindra Bank and Kotak Securities to lure investors into fraudulent trading schemes. The court directed Meta, WhatsApp, Google, Telegram, X and LinkedIn to remove the accounts and disclose the operators' KYC details, and directed the government to have internet and telecom providers block the listed websites. 'John Doe' orders like this let a brand act even when the fraudsters' identities are unknown.
| Who is affected | Banks, brokers, fintechs and any brand whose name is used in WhatsApp, Telegram or social media scams, and customers who may be defrauded. |
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| What to do | Register your brand names and logos as trademarks, monitor social platforms and messaging groups for impersonation, and act quickly with platform complaints and, where needed, a John Doe suit. Keep evidence (screenshots, links, dates) of every fake account. |
| Source | Delhi High Court (reported by LiveLaw) |
This is a plain-language summary for general information, not legal or tax advice. The court order or official document is the authoritative text. Ask an expert how it applies to you.