Belagavi Firm vs. Silicon Valley: Belagavi Court summons to US AI Giant Anthropic

In a high-stakes trademark showdown, the Principal District and Commercial Court in Belagavi has ordered fresh summons to be served to the San Francisco headquarters of U.S. AI giant Anthropic PBC.

This order follows a critical hearing yesterday, March 9, where the Silicon Valley firm’s newly formed Indian subsidiary attempted to distance itself from the litigation.

Yesterday’s Courtroom Highlights (March 9, 2026)

The hearing was marked by a strategic “separate entity” defense from the U.S. firm’s local arm:

• The Subsidiary Defense: Counsel for Anthropic India Private Limited (represented by Irina Ghose, MD) appeared but argued they are a distinct legal entity. They contended they could not accept summons on behalf of the parent company, Anthropic PBC, in the U.S.
• Mulla’s Counter-Move: Mohammad Ayyaz Mulla, represented by advocate Satish Karale, informed the court that the Indian subsidiary was only registered in late January 2026—weeks after his lawsuit was filed. To close this loophole, the court permitted Mulla to implead (add) the Indian entity as a co-defendant.
• The Global Summons: Judge Manjunath Nayak directed that fresh summons be issued directly to the San Francisco office of Anthropic PBC.

The Core Conflict: “Prior Use” vs. Global Fame

The lawsuit, seeking ₹1 crore in damages, hinges on who used the name first in the Indian market:

• Mulla’s Timeline: Founded his firm in 2017, holding patents in AI-integrated education and driving safety.
• Anthropic PBC Timeline: Incorporated in the U.S. in 2021 and only officially entered India in early 2026.
• The “Digital Erasure” Claim: Mulla alleges that the U.S. giant’s global visibility has “erased” his company from search engines, causing massive business losses and blocking his ability to raise investment.

The court has adjourned the matter to March 23, 2026. By this date, Mulla will file an amended complaint officially naming both the U.S. parent and the Indian subsidiary as defendants.