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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT FOR THE DISTRICT OF MARYLAND MARUTI.COM, et al. Plaintiffs, v. MARUTI UDYOG LIMITED, et al. Defendants. : : : : : : : MEMORANDUM This is a dispute over the domain name "maruti.com." The plaintiff, Rao Tella ("Tella"), is a computer engineer and consultant who develops web sites for personal and business use.1 Although at one point he only used the maruti.com site to post photos of a nephew named Maruti,2 he later converted the site to a search engine portal.3 Tella earned revenue from the site through an affiliated website that paid him every time someone clicked through maruti.com to reach the affiliated website.4 The defendant, Maruti Udyog Limited ("Maruti"), is incorporated under the laws of India and has its principal place of business in India. It has registered the MARUTI mark under the trademark laws of India and 19 other countries.5 In operation since 1976, Maruti manufactures and sells its lines of passenger cars in India, and exports its products to 70 countries.6 Maruti
Pl.'s Mot. for Partial Summ. J. at 1. (Docket No. 67). Tella was born in India and moved to the United States around 1991. He is now a United States citizen. Aff. of Srinivasa Rao Tella, at 10. (Def.'s Ex. 2 attached to the Affidavit of Lara N. Gelbwasser ("Gelbwasser Aff.")).
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CIVIL NO. L-03-1478

According to Tella, Maruti is also the name of an Hindu god. Id. The website is not in use for any purpose at the moment.

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Id. It does not appear that Tella has attempted to register "MARUTI" as a trademark in the United States.
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Amend. Countercl.

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Maryland Law