Delhi court orders FIR against employees for criminal breach of trust with fashion designer

A court has directed Delhi Police to file an FIR for criminal breach of trust against two former employees of fashion designer Pallavi Mohan for running a parallel business and using her brand name and customers to sell their own products.

Justice Akshay Sharma directed the police to file the case based on a complaint filed by Not So Serious Trading LLP, a subsidiary of Mohan.

The judge accepted the claims of lawyers Sumit Gehlot and Nikhil Bhalla, who represented the company, that a prima facie offense had been committed.

“This court has no hesitation in holding that the cognizable offense of criminal breach of trust by a servant is punishable by us. 408 IPC is clearly committed by the suspects Manu Uniyal and Surender Kumar. “Furthermore, this court is of the view that a proper investigation is necessary as both the sellers and the buyers need to be investigated,” the judge said in an order issued on October 4.

The judge directed the SHO of Okhla Industrial Area Police Station to register an FIR in the matter and file a compliance report on the next date of hearing i.e. October 18.

The complaint alleged that the accused secretly took orders from Mohan’s customers.

The defendants then manufactured “high-quality” women’s clothing using the “Not So Serious” brand name, design, and materials and redirected the payments to their own accounts and to the accounts of their family members and affiliates.

The complaint also contains allegations of forgery of documents and plate forgery.

Mohan claimed that despite her initial complaint to the Delhi Police, no FIR was registered.