The Bombay High Court has imposed costs of ₹4 crore on Patanjali Ayurved for allegedly breaching its 2023 ad-interim order which restrained the company from selling its camphor products.
The order was issued in connection with a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by Mangalam Organics against Patanjali Ayurved.
Reports stated that single Bench Judge Justice R.I. Chagla issued a ruling, emphasising that Patanjali had committed a ‘willful and deliberate breach’ of the court’s orders. The judge noted that the firm’s actions unequivocally demonstrated an intention to disregard the court’s directives.
Justice Chagla has dismissed Mangalam Organics’ petition requesting contempt proceedings against Patanjali Ayurved for continuing to sell Mangalam camphor despite a court-imposed restraining order. The Bench has mandated Patanjali Ayurved to deposit ₹4 crore within the next two weeks. Earlier, the High Court had also ordered Patanjali Ayurved to make an additional deposit of ₹50 lakh, as per reports.
In 2023, the court, in an interim, prohibited Patanjali Ayurved from selling or advertising their camphor products following the suit filed by Mangalam Organics against the company alleging copyright infringement of their camphor products. After this, Mangalam Organics later informed the court that Patanjali Ayurved had violated the order by continuing to sell and advertise the same camphor products.
In June 2024, Rajneesh Mishra, director of Patanjali Ayurved, tendered an unconditional apology. In an affidavit, he admitted that the company had continued to display and sell the restrained camphor products, per reports. After the injunction order, the firm admitted selling camphor products till June 2024. Representing Patanjali Ayurved, senior advocate Zal Andhyarujina and his associates stated that camphor products were still with the distributors but the company had stopped the sale.
Mangalam Organics claimed that Patanjali Ayurved continued selling and supplying camphor products even after June 2024 and the product was available for purchase on the company’s website on July 8, 2024. Patanjali had accepted the same on the July 8 hearing at the High Court. Following this, the court ordered Patanjali to deposit Rs 50 lakhs and directed Mangalam Organics to tender an affidavit with details of all the breaches of the order by Patanjali Ayurved.
