HC bars DB Dixon battery from using Shikhar Dhawan's images in promotions

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued an interim order restraining DB Dixon Battery from using cricketer Shikhar Dhawan's images in the promotion of its products.

The bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad directed the company to immediately stop any further use of Dhawan's likeness for endorsement purposes until the next hearing date.

The case revolves around a petition filed by Dhawan, who argued that his agreement with DB Dixon Battery had expired in November 2024, with a portion of the agreed payment still pending. Despite the termination of the contract, Dhawan alleged that the company continued using his images for product endorsements without his consent.

During the hearing, Dhawan's legal team highlighted that the ongoing unauthorised use of his image was in breach of the contractual terms, and they sought an injunction to prevent further exploitation of his likeness. In response, the court issued a notice to DB Dixon Battery, instructing them to cease all promotional activities involving Dhawan's images until the matter is resolved.

The court has scheduled the next hearing for February 18, 2025, to further examine the case.

Additionally, Dhawan's petition also sought the appointment of an arbitrator to address the unresolved payment dispute and other contractual issues between the cricketer and the company. The court has issued a notice on this request as well, signalling its intention to address the matter comprehensively.

As per the copy of Shikhar Dhawan's lawsuit, an endorsement agreement was initially signed in 2020 between Dhawan and DB Dixon Battery to promote their products. The agreement expired in January 2022, yet DB Dixon continued to use Dhawan's images without his consent.

In July 2023, both parties entered into a new endorsement deal, and Dhawan received the first instalment of payment. However, the remaining payments were not made, prompting Dhawan to issue a legal notice demanding a settlement of the outstanding amount.

On November 28, 2024, Dhawan terminated the agreement, instructing the company to cease using his images across all platforms. Subsequently, Dhawan sent a notice invoking arbitration under the terms of the agreement to resolve the dispute.

As DB Dixon failed to respond to the arbitration notice, Dhawan moved the matter to court through a petition.