Unnikrishnan of the Mint has recently reported that the outgoing Controller General of India’s IP offices – Mr. P.H. Kurian, has requested the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to conduct a criminal investigation into allegations of corruption against certain officials of the trademark registry. Mr. Kurian has been quoted as stating that there was some information on how certain officials at the trade marks registry had been offering to speed-track certain files in return for illegal gratification. A public notice on the website of the IPO by Mr. Kurian clarifies once again that the entire trademark registration process is now computerized and that it is not possible for any person to influence the process. Apparently templates of certain trademark forms were found on the computers of some of the officials from the trademarks registry and this is being treated as prima facie evidence of suspicious activity. (Image from here)
The demand for a CBI probe is much over-due especially given the record haul from an earlier investigation by the CBI into the assets of former Trade Marks Registrar Smt. Kasturi. The CBI had then recovered over Rs. 85 lakhs in bank deposits (close to US $ 200,000); Rs. 33 lakhs in cash, 3.8 kgs in gold apart from real estate holdings etc.
It would be interesting to see whether the CBI probe also covers the issue of the 44,000 missing files across the 5 Trade Marks registry.
Someone should also investigate the trend of receiving exorbitant “gifts” during festivities. Really disturbing state of affair.
I did not know that there were any festivities going on at the departure of Mr. Kurian.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Congradulations Mr. Kurian.
Anonymous comments against the working of the Trade Mark Registry. Please come forward with the name and be bold to give your identity. Blaming Ravi or blaming Kurian and making comments against the officers is a cheap thinking. Perhaps Mr Anonymous, you donot know that your filthy comments are read over by all , not only in India but in other countries also.The files are missing, the office requested the agents/attorneys to send papers so as to assist them to re construct the files. No one cared to respond to the call. Files went missing, therefore Ravi should be blames as if he is the record keeper of the registry.Haldi Ram case file missing,Ravi should be blamed as if he is the record keeper. The officer who last handled the Haldi Ram file should be questioned rather blaming Ravi time and again.
Let me not hesitate in saying that Ravi is one of the most honest officer next to Kurian in the entire TMR.Let us not make aspersions on the character of officers of Indian TMR
I agree with ipvocal on corruption and desire for a CBI probe, In the past books were purchased where huge amount was pocketed by the concered who were directly involved in the purchase
The Trade Mark registry is busy with Haldi Ram file or the missing files without looking in to the pending files. The journal hosted on the web is very thin. With this speed the total out come on 31.3.2012 will not be more than 2000 registrations. Great reforms, excellent transparency are the best which should in any case continue. Corruption brought to low level in TMR is another good step.
In the past the journal used to show more than ten thousand marks but now the marks to do not even touch 1000 per journal. The pending work is increasing day by day. Kurian is going back to Kerala, V Ravi is retiring in November. The office is be a head less one.
The entire office is busy in reconstructing the files without caring for the pending work increasing every day. Madrid agreement can not be implemented till the pending work is cleared. If the same speed is carried out in the days to come, the Madrid agreement will never come in force. Indian TMR must be at the top in the world as for as the pending work is concerned. Well done TMR at least you top in one field .
The Government specially the DIPP of Ministry of commerce and Industry should be serious on the subject. Fee for filing applications increased by the efficiency and service with out put deacreased.
What Kurian or Ravi alone can do ?
Hello Mr. Anonymous,
It is quite interesting that you are asking other anonymous commentators to reveal their identity while hiding yourself behind the veil of anonymity. Before challenging others, please reveal your identity. Anybody with a minimum IQ can guess who you are. Further, please note that as an officer of the Registry you must have the minimum knowledge that the Registrar is in fact the custodian of the records of the Registry. Therefore, as the files were lost during Mr. Ravi’s tenure as the Registrar, he cannot be absolved of responsibility. Anyways, as the CBI is already on the job, let us hope that the truth will come out soon.
please enquire corruption in GI Registry during 2004 to 2009 also.
Gifts , It is treated as the right and if some one fails to give gift on festival, he is given step motherly treatment. The Gifts are asked and the ietm is well informed in advance. Basically it is not a gift but an illegal gratification in the shape of gift
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Please enquire about the disproportionate wealth of all officers irrespective of their cadre.
Well done Mr Kurian P H, you have proved that the honesty still exists . The best job done by you will negver be forgotton.You did wonders in positive manner, no doubt your juniors tried their best to spoil your reputation by making complaints against you but truth prevails and you succeeded. all know that after your departure, this office will again go to gallows but you have your limitations and you have to go back.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
please note that we will not publish any comment casting aspersions on any particular individual working in the office. if you have evidence of wrong doing, we urge you to bring it to our notice…so we can investigate this directly. resorting to personal attacks with no evidence whatsoever and under the cover of anonymity is not something that we wish to promote on this blog.
Mr Basheer, you are very right. Kindly donot publish the comments which cast asperstions on the character of any individual. More over making aspersion on the character of other for the purpose of demaing an individual amopunts to an offence under section 499 IPC.It is an excellent decesion on your part
I totally agree with you Shamnad. This great forum should not be allowed to be used by any vested interests to settle the personal scores or to tarnish anybody’s image.
A humble request to Mr. Kurian to post good officers in sections, which directly interact with public. In the Registry the practice is that those who are paying would get good treatment and those who are not paying would be harrased by the Officers. Now also this mentality has not been changed in the Registry. Officers are getting some satisfaction from the harrasment.
Apropos to various comments being published though majority of readers rightly supported the view expressed in the post, that after I have expressed my views in addition to what the post had talked about the allegations of corruption against the some staff of trademark registry. I am surprised and dismayed at some of the comments of anonymous writers accusing each other, some have expressed their comments as mouth piece of official versions like HMV record (HIS MASTER VOICE) and some of comments of saints who feel that the corruption is not a issue and does not exist in the trademark registry in any manner and we should name any official for this.
Though CG had himself admitted in his notice available on IP office website that few of staff members have been caught, while doing TM agent job and promising clients of express registration services obviously for money considerations.
When the CG and author in the post themselves admitting a presence of corruption in the office, so why there is so much noises being made in various posts in favour of officials and aginst naming corrupt or negligent officials or otherwise. Though, I had simply posted highlighting my views in context of going slow attitude of Tm office and DIPP for not initiating action on missing files, I am failed to understand so far as then why Mr. Kurien is not initiating an inquiry to the extent of finding culpability of missing files inquiry is basically 1st step towards finding out culpability of particular officials who had removed the files from TM offices, as all are aware that TM office themselves through ministry had admitted in their affidavit before high court that they will conduct an inquiry to find out real culprits, so why there is a delay now, despite of undertaking in affidavit, why CG chose to lie low and why TM office nor ministry has not so far initiated a process for inquiry against officers so far .
I have felt myself to be vigilant citizen as well as being IP attorney, I will fail in my duty or responsibility as being attorney, if I do not raise my voice against prevalent corruption in the IP office. I have certain document in hand, where in Mr. Dharam Singh had told in his reply to RTI query that they have stopped the entry of TM agents to all TM offices in all over India to stop corruption, as per his communication, as if only TM agents are carrying the corruption virus with them to the TM registry and not their TM officials, who are very saint, Till today writing of this comments and even after passing of few months the TM Registry is not interested in taking action rather they want this missing file issue gets its own death and TM office has so far able to simply filed an FIR in Police that too only in Haldi Ram file.
I have further come to know TM office have not filed any FIR in reference to other missing files, so what to say, whether it is a deliberate omission or simply otherwise but it proves otherwise that it is an just eyewash and it is a simple way to close the chapter to shield their guilty officers.
Till today no headway has been made so far in any manner in reference to missing files nor they have tried to initiate action so far in TM office or the Police and any sane person will understand that the police will not be able to do anything until unless TM office will provide inputs or material to police to take FIR investigation to a logical end, hence FIR is lying as dead as it was on the 1st day of filing.
Contd…………….
Contd………
It is amply clear from above that ultimately head of the institution has to give reply, whether the files have gone missing in 2006 -2009 or in later year i.e. after 2009 whether it is gone missing at that time acting controller or current controller, so these two officials have to find the within themselves as to who is being head of the institution and was responsible.
The other aspect, which I would like to bring on this reply post of mine that why a need has arisen for a person like me to raise and to put fingers on them as they both have failed to identify the accused so far and have been trying put this issue under the carpet. As they both have failed in their duty in finding real culprit so far nor they had a courage to admit their fault as they any one of two officials has to admit and show courage as well as admit yes it is in my period, it has happened and I take responsibility as being head of TM registry for this major faux pas so,
So there are people like me, for them their was no alternative than using your web portal comments as to effective tool to raise our voice against non initiation of action rather we are forced to put or raise suspicion on them to come out with clear and definite answer as who is a real culprit and reminding to those to not to shrug of this issue of missing file lightly and rather forcing them to tell to the nation that in whose period being head of the institution as 1st issue is whether these files gone missing in the period of 2006-2009 or later 2009 the files gone missing .
So one as being current CG and the earlier acting CG now senior joint registrar have to tell the citizens of this country that who is responsible for this fiasco, As being one heading a office or is heading a institution, if he can claim kudos for good work then he should also be ready to receive brick bats, both things will go side by side, nobody in the public office has a immunity to criticism as an registrar or CG and earlier in the year 2006-2009 Now Sr. registrar was acting CG or current CG who are the custodian of the records of the TM Registry.
Therefore, whether the files were lost during Mr. Ravi’s tenure as then as acting CG or in the Current CG’s tenure , both have to ponder themselves, who is responsible and one of both has to owe responsibility for this faux pas to the country and both cannot be absolved themselves of responsibility.
If I name one of them as responsible this missing episode files does not mean my comments are of with any ulterior motives and with any vested interests nor my comments can be shrug off selectively by using these terminologies, I may also pose few of comments published here as His master voices and we as readers or comments givers should keep ourselves restraint from using foul words against our fellow readers or comments writers and should not jump in a fray to accuse other on behest of some one rather we should not fight behind veil war of words and should not try to muzzle the voice of any individual irrespective of his comment whether his comment is negative or positive to the post.
Contd……….
This spicy blog is public forum and cannot selectively publish comments in favour or against. So in public forum everybody will come and may raise voice or his own perception / voice / concern against or favour of the written posts or to the posted topic and both comments have to go together and one cannot read the selective comments in isolation or tear apart any positive or negative perceptions selectively to their particular choice and shrugging the comments to the trash by labeling comments as vested interests to settle the personal scores.
As this is the forum,. which provide space for comments and I have right to know from the Government organs through this forum, where hell these files gone missing and who’s period the files have gone missing and who are responsible for missing of files and who have taken fi;le and when from which transport, by saying and shrugging my comments to trash by saying that I have any vested interests to settle the personal scores is a really bad omen for this blog, this issue of missing files cannot be shrugged off lightly in any manner. The officials of TM registry have to give reply to missing files in thousands numbers. As far, I am concerned; I have posted my comments without any malice or any ulterior motives and without any vested interests to settle the personal scores in any manner.
I fully agree with IP Vocal in his long comments and his concern on various posts. What I feel is that the Anonymous posts are nothing but are the comments given by the staff members as they speak the matter by it self. The staff members do not want to come forward but want to express their opinion as such they write under the heading of Anonymous. There may be certain comments which are dictated by the staff members. We as an out sider can not comment on the internal matters of the TMR. The files are missing, how they missed and where are they. All this is an internal matter and it is the staff of the office who is to look in to. I sincerely suggest that we all as outsiders should not make comments on the internal matters of the TMR e.g missing files etc. It is pertinent to state here that after the missing file episode, the entire working of the TMR came to an almost halt. The office is busy in reconstructing the files and nothing else. The processing of Trade Mark files is being delayed and the public at large is suffering. The overload of work and lesser staff is the biggest problem. The Government is silent and taking no action on meeting the requirement of Registry. Against the requirement of 50 examiners at Delhi, there are only three examiners and we all expect that the three should work equal to fifty examiners. I say that we should all raise a voice and request the Government to increase the staff in the TMR and than ask as to why the work is being delayed. I still remember that in 2006, it was announced that more examiners shall be enrolled but till date nothing happened even after almost six years. The work load is increasing but the man power is decreasing day by day, the result is nothing but the loss to the General Public at large
The Indian Trade Marks Registry (TMR)is being projected as the most corrupt office on the earth, bloggers posting their views here perhaps forget bigger scams of other departments,organisations or even individuals.
Though the corruption in any manner and of any amount is not justified, people should avoid throwing mud on any official/staff of the TMR without having concrete evidence in their hand, just for the sake of cheap publicity or for venting the personal jealousness. If you have any evidence, please approach to proper authorities.
In past one & half decade the office was pressurized to clear the huge backlog in various activities of TMR with their limited manpower & space constraints. Much work was done, but of course, no care was taken to maintain proper records, since the office and the applicants/attorneys were interested in “numbers”.
Let me tell you that actions of the officials were still recorded & updated in computer database and though the relevant records ought to have been maintained, the rights of proprietors were least or even ‘not’ affected because of so exaggerated ‘missing files’ except of some rarest of rare people who may want ‘documents’ forming basis of a decision, after 15 years of the decision.
Now I think that the biggest error the TMR officials have committed is to work twice or thrice of their capacity & on the basis of unorganised records (or on the basis of records provided by applicants) and to obey the command of Ministry people to clear up backlog.Now the TMR should first digitise all records, officials should take decisions strictly as per rules & priority and should ‘never’ consider about the quantity Let only 1000 marks be registered in a year. If the Government has any problem with the backlog which would be created, the Government should provide more staff, space & infrastructure.
TMR officials should thank Mr. Kurian who has allowed the officials work only on the basis of digitised records,as per rule and as per seniority.
Why should the TMR worry about quantity & backlog, while other departmens don’t care;crores of cases affecting the life and death of the people are still pending in courts ?
Mr. Anonymous, do you want to legalise corruption on the reason that all the Govt. departments are corrupted. Do you think the staff and Officers at TMR are working hardly to clear the backlog. If you vist TMR at 11.30 a.m you can see by your own eyes that how many of them are coming after 11.30 a.m. and these people will leave office from 5’0 clock in the evening. Mr. Anonymous you calculate what is the working hours as per the Central Government Rules and Regulations and the working hours of these people.
“The corruption in any manner and of any amount is not justified” perhaps you didn’t read this line. We do condemn corruption or even irregularity, but please approach to proper forum if you have any evidence.
Dear Anonymous you may not be knowing that there was time when trademark application were examined after 5-6 years of their filing, requests for legal certificates were disposed of after 5-6 months,after collecting pieces of information from different sections. The TMR had come up to the stage of zero backlog with the same manpower. I think this didn’t matter for you people who always try to find fault.
Don’t you think that after continuous defamation of staff as a whole, the general staff is demoralized ? Now they have stopped working with zeal. they are working only to the extent of avoiding departmental action and the result you may see in next annual reports.
Regarding attendance I don’t think people come after 11.30 in any branch of TMR, at least till the current CG is here. Some times find time to go to any department of your state Government, or any other central Government.
I FULLY AGREE WITH THE WRITER THAT AN ENQUIRY SHOULD BE MADE ABOUT THE EMBEZZLEMENT OF GOVERNMENT EXCHEQUER FROM THE YEAR 2004 TO 2009 IN THE G I REGISTRY. LIKE THE C A G REPORT ON 2G SPECTRUM WAS TABLED BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT THE AUDIT REPORT FROM 2004 TO 2009 OF G I REGISTRY SHOULD BE TABLED BEFORE THE PARLIAMENT. CHOTA RAJANS ARE NOT ONLY IN OUTSIDE WORLD THEY ARE INSIDE GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT LOOTING PUBLIC MONEY AND MISUSING GOVERNMENT MACHINERY AS IF THEY ARE WORKING FOR PUBLIC. IAM THINKING OF SEEKING THE AUDIT REPORT OF GI REGISTRY FROM THE YEAR 2004 TO 2009 THROUGH RTI AND REFER IT TO THE SPEAKER OF LOK SABHA AND VIGILANCE TOO. LIKE THE PRESENT CGPDTM REFERRED THE TMR MUMBAI OFFICIALS TO CBI, THE NEW CGPDTM SHOULD REFER THE AUDIT REPORTS FROM 2004 TO 2009 OF G.I. REGISTRY TO VIGILANCE FOR DETAILED ENQUIRY AND BRING THE CULPRITS TO LIGHT. MADAM KIRAN BEDI HAS RIGHTLY SAID 72 CRORES ARE MISUSED EVERY YEAR BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS. I AM A MEMBER OF “FIGHT AGAINST CORRUPTION MOVEMENT” LED BY FATHER ANNA HAZARE AND THESE KIND OF CHOTA RAJANS SHOULD BE BROUGHT TO BOOK AND THE PROPOSED LOK PAL BILL WILL PUT AN END TO THESE BAD ELEMENTS OCCUPYING HIGH POSTS IN FUTURE. LET US ALL JOIN THE MOVEMENT OF ANNA HAZARE AND SAVE OUR COUNTRY FROM THESE KIND OF ANTI-SOCIAL AND ANTI-NATIONALS.
I agree with Mr Anonymous on corruption. The staff is corrupt and they donot work without considerations. After Kurian joining, they solwed down the working as illegal income came to zero. If CBI raids the property and calculate the living standard of TMR staff under the provision of Prevention of Corruption act, majority of staff will be behind bars, which I think, should happen
Copy of nice classification is available free of cost at wipo site but TMR pirchased the nice classification for Rs 10,000 each Why