In a landmark enforcement victory, the Delhi High Court has issued an ex-parte interim injunction against Spartan Engineering Industries Pvt. Ltd. for unauthorized use of Dassault Systèmes’ SOLIDWORKS software. The ruling confirms the legal admissibility of telemetry evidence and affirms the court’s readiness to act swiftly in digital IP violations.
A Powerful Precedent for Software Publishers
“The ruling confirms that digital evidence, including telemetry logs and license verification data, is admissible and decisive in court. It also validates rapid ex-parte injunctions when evidence is at risk of deletion.”
— ITCA India Legal Coordinator
Dassault’s legal team presented compelling telemetry logs from its Exalead system, identifying over 9,000 unlicensed software uses across 23 machines.
Global Pattern: Courts Trust Telemetry
This Indian case aligns with an emerging global norm: machine-generated data is powerful evidence. Consider the following examples:
- Beaton v. SpeedyPC Software (U.S.): The court accepted telemetry logs and behavioral data in a deceptive software case.
- Microsoft v. Software Wholesale Club (U.S.): Licensing records supported summary judgment against counterfeit distribution.
- Autodesk Inc. v. Flores (U.S.): A default judgment of over $250,000 was issued based on license tracking and telemetry data.
- Hamburg Regional Court (Germany): The court accepted software usage logs to determine copyright violations in AI-related software use.
“This isn’t just a win for Dassault — it’s a win for all software publishers using forensic telemetry to protect their IP.”
Legal Highlights from the Dassault Case
- 9357 piracy instances captured via Exalead
- At least 23 machines running unauthorized copies
- Full injunction issued against continued use, installation, or deletion of logs
- The Court cited Section 63B of India’s Copyright Act:“Knowingly using pirated software is a criminal offence punishable with imprisonment up to 3 years and fines up to ₹2,00,000.”
Message to Infringers: Your Machines Leave a Trail
Dassault’s telemetry system tracked:
- MAC addresses and machine identifiers
- Timestamps of unlicensed usage
- Repeat infringements despite warnings and notices
“Software infringement is a serious issue and deserves to be nipped in the bud.”
— Justice C. Hari Shankar
What This Means for the Industry
Courts in India, the United States, Germany, and the United Kingdom are increasingly accepting telemetry-based evidence. Software publishers can seek ex-parte injunctions when digital evidence is at risk, and confidently pursue claims based on automated usage reporting.
This case reinforces that legal protections are evolving with the technology. Telemetry is no longer just a security tool — it is a legitimate enforcement asset.
If you suspect your software is being pirated, contact ITCA for an evidence-led enforcement strategy.
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