The Delhi High Court questioned Yoga guru Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved for branding all other chyawanprash products as “dhokha” while promoting its own. The court was hearing Dabur India’s plea seeking to stop Patanjali’s advertisement that allegedly disparages rival brands.
Justice Tejas Karia noted that while Patanjali could claim its chyawanprash was the best, it could not label others as fraud. He remarked that the word “dhokha” was derogatory and implied deceit toward consumers.
Dabur argued that Patanjali’s advertisement falsely claimed its chyawanprash contained “51 Ayurvedic herbs and saffron,” despite a 2014 government advisory calling the claim misleading. It also said the prefix “special” violated drug rules banning deceptive labels.
Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Dabur, said Patanjali’s remarks painted all rival products negatively and misled consumers. He emphasized Dabur’s 100-year legacy and its 61% market share in the chyawanprash segment.
Patanjali’s lawyer, Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar, countered that the ad used permissible puffery and hyperbole. He said the intent was to highlight Patanjali’s superiority, not defame competitors.
After hearing both sides, the High Court reserved its verdict.
