In July 1999, Tata Sons had instituted legal proceedings in Kerala against Professor P. J. Kurien, former MP and chief whip of the Congress, for having made a defamatory statement against the Tata Group while speaking to the media. 

Prof Kurien had alleged that the Tata Group had resorted to unethical means to seek sanction from the government to operate its airlines. This was reported in the Kochi edition of The New Indian Express, and brought to the notice of Tata Sons by a senior Tata executive in Kochi.

Tata Sons filed a criminal complaint for defamation against Prof Kurien and, after several rounds of hearings, the magistrate pronounced his verdict on November 25, 2002, finding Prof Kurien guilty of defaming Tata.

This case reinforces the right of Tata Sons and its determination to proceed against anyone making an insinuation against the Tata Group. It is a part of the brand-protection activity which Tata Sons is vigorously pursuing to protect the Tata name and mark, with great success.