[Techtaffy Newsdesk]

Microsoft has issued proceedings against Comet Group for allegedly creating and selling more than 94,000 sets of counterfeit Windows Vista and Windows XP recovery CDs. The alleged counterfeits were sold to customers who had purchased Windows-loaded PCs and laptops.

David Finn (Associate general counsel, Worldwide Anti-Piracy and Anti-Counterfeiting, Microsoft): As detailed in the complaint filed today, Comet produced and sold thousands of counterfeit Windows CDs to unsuspecting customers in the United Kingdom.

The suit charges Comet with producing the counterfeits in a factory in Hampshire and then selling the media to customers from its retail outlets across the U.K.

Comet is currently owned by French retail company Kesa Electricals, although it is reportedly being purchased by private equity firm OpCapita later this year.