The Delhi High Court has restrained four ayurveda companies from infringing on the trademark of Patanjali, which is a giant Indian ayurveda company. The court has further ruled that ayurveda businesses must be prevented from using ‘Patanjali’ in their ventures, as Patanjali is a registered trademark.
Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw instructed the four firms – Karamveer Ayurveda, Diwai Gramodyog Sewa Sansthan, Dr Zee Biotech and Dhatri – to discontinue the manufacture of the products which are similar to those trademarked. The order came after a plea was filed by Baba Ramdev’s company, Patanjali Ayurveda Ltd, which argued that these four firms were marketing and manufacturing products very similar to their own.
Patanjali has further argued that the businesses infringed on the trademark with the intention of impersonating the former. Furthermore, Ramdev said that the four ventures have alleged that they were permitted and authorised to promote their products by the Maharishi Patanjali Vedic Foundation. After this, Patanjali made out a prima facie case and appealed for an ex-parte order to stop the ventures and the organisations from infringing on the trademark even further.
The court has issued a notice against all the four companies and the Maharishi Patanjali Vedic Foundation to stop using the trademark and has called for an explanation by May 16, 2018. The accused have been prohibited to use the trademark and the products which infringe on the trademark.