Delhi HC Restrains Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved From Airing Ad Offending Dettol's Goodwill [Read Order]

The Delhi High Court has directed Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved from airing a commercial for its soap which it prima facie found to be disparaging to the goodwill of Dettol being manufactured by Reckitt and Colman.

Justice SP Garg granted the interim injunction to Reckitt, which had come to the court claiming the ad was damaging to the goodwill of its product.

The company has also claimed damages of Rs. 1 crore.

"The plaintiffs seek ad-interim injunction. On perusal of the plaint and the accompanying documents, it can be inferred at this stage that advertisement in question is offending in nature and has direct adverse impact on the plaintiffs’ product," the court said.

"Considering the facts and circumstances, it is a fit case to grant ad-interim injunction till the next date of hearing. Accordingly, defendant (Patanjali), its directors, principals, proprietors, distributors, franchisees, representatives and employees are restrained from issuing or telecasting or broadcasting the impugned advertisement, disparaging the goodwill and reputation of the plaintiffs and their products sold under the trade mark ‘DETTOL’ in any media whatsoever, including the electronic media, digital media and/ or print media," Justice Garg ordered.

The Delhi High Court order comes a day after the Bombay High Court granted injunction to Hindustan Unilever.

The Patanjali soap ad allegedly takes a dig at soaps manufactured by the two companies and asks consumers to not use ‘chemical-containing’ soaps.