Delhi HC orders takedown of fake Zepto websites, social media accounts

Delhi High Court has restrained the misuse of Zepto's trademarks for scams, directs banks, social media, and telecom firms to freeze accounts, block domains, and share user details

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday ruled in favour of quick-commerce firm Zepto, ordering the immediate takedown of fake websites and social media accounts misusing its trademarks.

 

In a police complaint, Zepto accused several entities of running a fraudulent scheme that exploited its trademarks and brand name to mislead people into paying large sums for bogus franchise and job offers. The company later escalated the matter, filing a trademark infringement suit in the Delhi High Court.

 

The company said it uncovered the racket following receipt of multiple emails seeking verification of fake domain names, where fraudsters had posed as its relationship managers.

 

 

Noting that if the defendants are not restrained, they would continue to deceive people, the court issued a temporary order restraining the use of Zepto’s trademarks for fraudulent recruitment, impersonation, phishing, or offering goods and services.

Key highlights of HC ruling

In its ruling, the court asked banks to freeze the specified bank accounts involved in the fraudulent scheme and disclose the account holders’ Know Your Customer (KYC) and transaction details.

 

The Delhi HC directed social media platforms, including Meta and LinkedIn, to remove bogus Zepto-related accounts and posts as identified in the complaint. 

 

The court further said that the Department of Telecommunications must:

1. Instruct telecom service providers to immediately block numbers found to be involved in the fraudulent scheme.
2. Share subscriber information with relevant stakeholders to help identify perpetrators.
3. Facilitate coordination with law enforcement agencies so that blocked numbers and subscriber records can be used for ongoing investigations.
4. Act promptly on fresh inputs from Zepto or investigative bodies about additional numbers being misused.

The HC asked all parties to comply with these orders within 36 hours and assist by providing the necessary user information to Zepto. The next date of the hearing is on February 18, 2026.

Zepto enters real estate space

Zepto recently announced its partnership with real estate firm The House of Abhinandan Lodha (HoABL) to offer land investment opportunities to consumers. The move marked the company’s entry into the real estate sector with a 10-minute land investment option. The land offerings, involving premium plots in Vrindavan, are currently discoverable through the Zepto app.