The Delhi High Court has restrained Patanjali Ayurved from broadcasting or publishing advertisements that disparage Dabur India's Chyawanprash. Justice Mini Pushkarna issued the order on Thursday, July 3, 2025, in response to a petition filed by Dabur India concerning television commercials about Chyawanprash. The court has scheduled the next hearing for July 14.

Dabur India sought an injunction against Patanjali's advertising campaign, alleging that it was defamatory. Dabur argued that Patanjali’s advertisements contained misinformation and disparaged Dabur's Chyawanprash. The core of the dispute revolves around an advertisement featuring Baba Ramdev, the founder of Patanjali, questioning the authenticity and quality of other Chyawanprash products on the market.

Dabur's specific grievances included:

• Misrepresentation of Herb Count: Dabur alleged that Patanjali falsely claimed its Chyawanprash was made with over 51 herbs when it only contained 47.
• Disparaging Remarks: Patanjali's advertisements referred to Dabur's Chyawanprash, made with 40 herbs, as "ordinary," implying its inferiority and that only Patanjali adhered to Ayurvedic standards.
• Unfounded Claims of Mercury Content: Dabur further alleged that Patanjali's product contained mercury and was unfit for children's consumption.
• Undermining Ayurvedic Authenticity: Dabur objected to Patanjali's claim that only those with Ayurvedic and Vedic knowledge could produce authentic Chyawanprash, suggesting Dabur's product was not genuine.

Dabur, holding a 61.6% market share in the Chyawanprash segment, argued that Patanjali's campaign was misleading to consumers and damaged trust in products that follow strict regulatory standards. They also highlighted that Chyawanprash is a classical Ayurvedic medicine subject to stringent regulations under the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. Dabur also told the court that despite multiple notices to Patanjali Ayurved, the company continued to air the commercials over the previous weeks. Dabur stated that Patanjali aired 6,182 advertisements over the previous weeks despite the summons.

Patanjali refuted the claims, with Senior Advocate Jayant Mehta arguing that all ingredients in Patanjali's product complied with the prescribed Ayurvedic formula and were safe for human consumption. Patanjali stated that 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.

The court's decision to restrain Patanjali from airing the disparaging advertisements is an interim measure. The matter will be heard again on July 14.