Winning Bizness Desk

Mumbai. The Delhi High Court has barred Patanjali Ayurved from running advertisements that defame or mislead consumers about Dabur’s Chyawanprash. The ruling came on Thursday in response to a petition filed by Dabur, claiming Patanjali’s campaign unfairly labels its product as “ordinary” and questions its authenticity in following Ayurvedic traditions. Justice Mini Pushkarna issued the order and scheduled the next hearing for July 14.

Dabur Claims Brand Image Was Maligned

Dabur argued that Patanjali’s advertisement, featuring Baba Ramdev, criticizes other Chyawanprash brands by suggesting they lack proper Ayurvedic knowledge. In the video, Ramdev is seen claiming that people who do not understand Ayurveda or the Vedas cannot prepare traditional Chyawanprash. Dabur claimed this directly targets its product, which contains over 40 herbs and holds more than 60% market share in the category.

Accusation of Health Risk Messaging

Further, Dabur told the court that Patanjali's ad implies that non-Patanjali Chyawanprash might pose health risks to consumers. Their legal counsel pointed out that this isn’t the first time Patanjali has used controversial advertising. In fact, Patanjali has faced contempt warnings from the Supreme Court in the past for continuing misleading promotions, despite previous court orders.

Ramdev’s 'Sharbat Jihad' Remarks Criticized

The case also reminded the court of an earlier controversy from April 3, when Baba Ramdev launched a new line of Patanjali Sharbat. During its promotion, he alleged on social media that another company’s earnings from Sharbat sales were being used to fund madrasas and mosques, and compared it to “Love Jihad” and “Vote Jihad.” Hamdard, the maker of Rooh Afza, took legal action against him. Justice Amit Bansal of the Delhi HC termed Ramdev’s remarks “unforgivable” and said they shocked the court’s conscience.

Repeated Warnings and Apologies from Patanjali

This is not Patanjali’s first legal run-in. From 2022 to 2024, the Supreme Court has repeatedly pulled up the company for false medical claims and aggressive marketing. Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna were even summoned in person and faced potential contempt proceedings. Eventually, they issued a public apology, which led to the closure of that case. However, the latest court action shows that judicial scrutiny of Patanjali’s advertising practices remains tight.

7 Key Takeaways

• Delhi HC bans Patanjali ad targeting Dabur’s Chyawanprash.
• Dabur claims Ramdev’s ad misleads consumers and harms brand image.
• Patanjali ad called Dabur’s product “ordinary” and lacking Ayurvedic purity.
• Dabur says ad implies health risks from other brands.
• Court recalls Ramdev’s “Sharbat Jihad” remarks as deeply offensive.
• Ramdev agreed to remove religiously sensitive videos after HC’s disapproval.
• Patanjali previously apologized to the Supreme Court for misleading claims.