The All India Patent Officers Association has sought a Supreme Court-monitored CBI probe into Kaizen Institute’s alleged unauthorized access to IPO data. They warn it could risk India’s economic and strategic IP interests.
New Delhi – The All India Patent Officers Association has approached the Supreme Court of India, raising serious concerns over alleged unauthorized access given to a private foreign company, Kaizen Institute, into the internal servers of the Indian Intellectual Property Office (IPO).
The association, which comprises senior officers from the Indian patent system, has demanded a CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation) probe into the matter.
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The association claims that this access could lead to highly sensitive and confidential patent-related data being leaked.
If true, it could have serious consequences for India’s economy and national interest, especially since many of the unpublished patent applications involve critical innovations and trade secrets.
According to the petition,
“The association is gravely alarmed at the potential ramifications of such unauthorized access particularly the risk of premature disclosure or exploitation of unpublished patent applications. These applications often involve cutting-edge innovations and trade secrets, some of which are of strategic consequences for India.”
The officers have expressed their shock at how Kaizen Institute was allegedly given access to IPO’s internal systems without any official approval or legal backing. Surprisingly, while the private firm was allowed such access, senior government officials, including a Joint Secretary from the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), were denied similar access.
The petition further states,
“The association said while facilitating access to Kaizen Institute, the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM), Prof. Unnat P. Pandit, simultaneously denied access to the same or similar information to senior officials in the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), including the Joint Secretary.”
The association has backed its claims using several documents received under the Right to Information (RTI) Act, as well as publicly available reports and internal email communications.
It stated,
“The cumulative reading of these communications reveals that Kaizen Institute was permitted to interact with and influence the functioning of statutory offices without any traceable administrative order, notification, or formal authorization issued either by DPIIT or the CGPDTM.”
This, according to the association, compromises the credibility and integrity of the patent application examination process.
It also indicates a possible violation of multiple laws, including the Patents Act, the Prevention of Corruption Act, and various sections of the Indian Penal Code.
The petition alleged that certain individuals within the system, including government officials in positions of authority, might have misused their official powers to allow such access to Kaizen Institute.
The motive behind such actions could be financial and strategic benefits gained unlawfully from sensitive patent data.
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As per the petition,
“Such unauthorized access has not only compromised the sanctity of the examination process but also suggests possible violations of the Patents Act, and acts punishable under the Prevention of Corruption Act, and the Indian Penal Code. The petitioner has reason to believe that this access was facilitated by various individuals, including public servants occupying positions of trust, who misused their official authority to grant such privileges without oversight. This raises serious allegations of corruption, abuse of position, and conspiracy to enable the exploitation of unpublished and sensitive patent data by unauthorized entities, potentially for unlawful financial and strategic gains.”
This case has created a major stir within India’s intellectual property ecosystem. The association has urged the Supreme Court to direct a thorough investigation to uncover the persons responsible for this breach and ensure accountability.
The matter is now in the hands of the Supreme Court, and its decision could have a significant impact on the future handling and protection of patent data in India.
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