After Rooh Afza, Now Dabur: Fresh Court Setback For Ramdev's Patanjali

In a fresh setback to yoga guru Ramdev, the Delhi High Court on Thursday restrained his Patanjali Ayurved from running allegedly disparaging advertisements against Dabur Chyawanprash.

This comes months after the high court censured Ramdev over a video containing disparaging remarks against herbal drink Rooh Afza.

A bench of Justice Mini Pushkarna on Thursday allowed two interim injunction applications filed by Dabur against the advertisements by Patanjali Ayurved. 

"Application is allowed," the judge said.

In December, Dabur had moved the High Court, alleging that Patanjali Ayurved was running advertisements disparaging its Chyawanprash product. Dabur urged the court to immediately restrain Patanjali from continuing with these advertisements, which they claim harm their reputation and mislead consumers.

Ramdev is quoted as saying in the advertisement: "Jinko Ayurved aur Ved ka gyaan nahi, Charak, Sushrut, Dhanwantari aur Chyawanrishi ke parampara mein 'original' Chyawanprash kaise bana payenge'?"

According to Patanjali, its own product contains 51 herbs in comparison to Dabur's 40 - a claim dismissed by Dabur.

Patanjali's advertisement also allegedly suggests that Chyawanprash sold by other brands contains mercury, and that it is unsafe for children.

Dabur contends that such "false" claims not only harms its business but undermines the trust it has built among consumers over decades.

Patanjali, however, said its advertisement was not meant to target competitors. It said it has neither drawn any direct comparison or labelled its own product as "original" and others as "ordinary, nor named Dabur in its advertisement.

Patanjali also said that its claims in its advertisement are merely promotional in nature. 

Last year, the Supreme Court had taken Ramdev to task over disparaging statements against allopathy. It was only after multiple apologies and several personal appearances in the top court, that the contempt of court case filed against Ramdev and Patanjali was closed.