The incident in Berhampur, as reported by Odisha Police and Military Intelligence, represents a significant stride against counterfeit army combat uniforms. A staggering 500 meters of the deceptive uniform were confiscated from the ‘Ganjam Galaxy’ store in Berhampur, following specific intelligence inputs from the Military Intelligence Unit, Gopalpur.
Legal proceedings were set in motion, with a criminal case registered at the Town Police station under Case no 57/23 us 420/486/63 of the Copyright Act. The investigation unfolds as it strives to untangle the threads behind the illicit trade. Rambabu Dangi, an Army AD College employee, brought attention to the illicit sales during his visit to Berhampur, exposing the clandestine operations of Ganjam Galaxy Store.
The focal point of the controversy revolves around the new digital combat uniform introduced by the Army on January 15, 2022, marking the gradual replacement of the old uniform. Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) safeguard the design and camouflage patterns for a decade, extendable for an additional five years. This strategic move prevents unauthorized vendors from jeopardizing the security of the Indian Army by manufacturing and selling the combat uniform openly.
Strict directives dictate that the new uniform must exclusively be available in the Army’s unit-run canteens, owing to the secured IPR. A decisive step to combat unauthorized sales of the design involves the potential filing of complaints by the Army. The Berhampur Town police station, in this instance, seized a total of 488 meters of combat uniform, valued at Rs 1,20,000.
Unraveling the threads further, the investigation reveals that the owner of Ganjam Galaxy procured the deceptive uniform from Kolkata, originating from a source in Ludhiana. Ongoing scrutiny aims to pinpoint the manufacturing location and the individuals orchestrating this illicit trade, as detailed by the spokesperson.