India, May 16 -- The Bombay high court (HC) has quashed a criminal case filed against VF Brand India Ltd (now Kontoor Brands), the company behind the retail operations of popular apparel labels Lee, Wrangler and Vans in India. The court held that the case, initiated by former franchise partner Krysh Retail Pvt. Ltd., was purely contractual in nature and did not merit criminal prosecution.

The court observed that continuing the case would amount to a misuse of the criminal justice system, as no elements of cheating, forgery, or breach of trust-under which the FIR was registered-had been established.

The case stemmed from a franchise agreement dated November 3, 2010, through which Krysh was granted non-exclusive rights to sell products un...