The Bombay High Court has directed Patanjali Ayurved to deposit Rs 50 lakh due to a claimed violation of the court's interim order that prohibited the sale of its camphor products, amidst a trademark infringement case filed by another company.
Mangalam Organics Ltd, the company that filed a lawsuit against Patanjali Ayurved, alleged copyright infringement related to their camphor products. After Mangalam Organics Ltd. alleged trademark infringement, the High Court issued an interim order in August 2023 restraining Patanjali Ayurved Ltd. from selling its camphor products.
Subsequently, the company had to file an application again asserting that Patanjali continued to sell the camphor products in defiance of the interim order. In response to this, the bench remarked that it would be appropriate to instruct Patanjali to deposit Rs 50 lakh before any order for contempt or breach of the injunction is issued.
Moving further, in a decision on July 8, Justice R I Chagla observed that Patanjali acknowledged in a June affidavit that it had violated the earlier injunction against selling the disputed camphor products thereby causing the High Court to schedule further hearings for July 19.
Additionally, the High Court acknowledged the June 2024 affidavit submitted by Patanjali director Rajneesh Mishra, wherein he offered an unconditional apology and committed to complying with the court's directives with Mishra acknowledging that following the issuance of the injunction order, there was a total supply of the contested camphor product amounting to Rs 49,57,861.