May 3: The Centre on Monday admitted in the Supreme Court that the German multinational Montblanc had violated the Indian emblems laws by using Mahatma Gandhi’s picture in its Rs 12 lakh luxury pen but the apex court closed the case against the company.
As the government notification had put the name of the father of the nation in “Item 9-A” schedule, “therefore, under the Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950, there is a clear prohibition on the use of name and pictorial representation of Mahatma Gandhi”, Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam said.
The government in its affidavit though had sought probe into the entire matter as how the company used the picture of Gandhi without the permission of the Indian government, the SG said the company had withdrawn the product from the market in February.