Nashik: Entrepreneur Nilesh Dahanukar Sentenced To One Month Jail For Contempt In Siemens Software Case

Nashik: Illegal use of software belonging to international company Siemens Industry Software Inc., which provides Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software to companies, violation of a court’s interim injunction order, and obstruction of a court-appointed commissioner during an inspection have landed Nashik-based entrepreneur Nilesh Dahanukar in legal trouble. The Delhi High Court has sentenced him to one month of civil imprisonment.

Following a hearing on a contempt petition filed by Siemens, the District Commercial Court at Saket in New Delhi, on July 25, found Dahanukar guilty under provisions relating to contempt of court and sentenced him to two months’ civil imprisonment.

Dahanukar subsequently challenged the order before the Delhi High Court and also tendered an apology. However, the High Court refused to accept his apology and dismissed his appeal on Aug 13. He was also granted time to surrender before the authorities and serve his sentence at Tihar Jail in Delhi.

Taking into consideration that Dahanukar is responsible for a minor child and has an ailing father, the High Court modified the district court’s order and reduced the sentence from two months to one month.

What is the case about?

After receiving information that its NX software was allegedly being used illegally by Om Sai Moulds and Plastics and Dahanukar Machine Tools, operated by Nilesh and Purushottam Dahanukar in Ambad MIDC, Nashik, Siemens filed a civil suit before the Saket Court in 2023.

Siemens had also sought an injunction against the alleged illegal use of its software. After considering the application, the Saket Court, on Aug 10, 2023, passed an ex-parte interim injunction order against the Dahanukars. The court also appointed a local court commissioner to inspect Nashik.

When the commissioner visited the premises for inspection on Aug 17 and 18, 2023, employees of Dahanukar allegedly obstructed the inspection. It was alleged that eight CPUs and three hard disks were immediately shifted to an adjoining property.

A police complaint was also lodged against the court commissioner and the representatives accompanying him.

However, the commissioner, in his report, recorded the alleged obstruction and stated that Siemens software was found on computers at the company’s premises.

Siemens subsequently filed a contempt petition against Nilesh Dahanukar through advocates Arshia Behl and Bhavya Manda. Following hearings in the matter, the Saket Court found Dahanukar guilty of contempt and imposed the sentence, which was later modified by the Delhi High Court to one month’s imprisonment.