Delhi High Court on Thursday restrained Patanjali from running disparaging advertisements against Dabur Chyawanprash, two months after the Ramdev-backed company had been pulled up for accusing Rooh-Afza of "sharbat jihad".
Allowing Dabur's application seeking an interim restriction on showing ads on Patanjali's Chyawanprash, Justice Mini Pushkarna posted the matter for further hearing on July 14.
Dabur had in December 2024 moved Delhi High Court against Patanjali for defaming the company by claiming that manufacturers did not have the knowledge of making chyawanprash.
The issue arose from an ad featuring Patanjali co-founder Ramdev in which the company says: "Jinko ayurved aur vedo ka gyaan nahi, Charak, Sushrut, Dhanvantri aur Chyawanrishi ki parampara ke anuroop, original chyawanprash kaise bana payenge (Those who lack knowledge of ayurveda and the Vedas, how can they make original chyawanprash in the tradition of Charak, Sushrut, Dhanwantari and Chyawanrishi?)"
In the ad, Patanjali made a comparative analysis of its product with others and claimed that Patanjali Special Chyawanprash is made of 51 precious herbs, higher than any other similar product.
Dabur alleged that the ad had generated its chyawanprash, calling it ordinary and inferior and promoting Patanjali's product as original and authentic, the petitioner said. Dabur, the leader in the chyawanprash market, alleged that Patanjali's ads were false and misleading. The ad also made "untrue" claims that all other manufacturers did not know ayurvedic texts and the formulae for chyawanprash.
Defending itself, Patanjali said the ad did not refer to Dabur or its product.
In a similar case of misleading ads and controversial remarks against allopathy, Ramdev was reprimanded by the Supreme Court in 2024.