The
Bombay High Court has directed Patanjali Ayurved to deposit Rs 50 lakh for
alleged breach of the HC's interim order restraining it from selling its
camphor products, in relation to a trademark infringement case filed by another
company.
Following
trademark infringement allegations by Mangalam Organics Ltd, the HC in an
interim order in August 2023 restrained Patanjali Ayurved Ltd from selling its
camphor products.
A single bench of Justice R I Chagla on July 8 noted
that Patanjali, in an affidavit submitted in June, admitted breach of the
earlier order granting injunction against sale of the impugned camphor products.
"Such
persistent breach of the injunction order dated 30th August 2023 by defendant
no. 1 (Patanjali) cannot be tolerated by this court," Justice Chagla said
in the order, a copy of which was made available on Wednesday.
The
bench said it would be appropriate to direct Patanjali to deposit a sum of Rs
50 lakh prior to passing of an order for contempt/breach of the injunction
order.
The
HC posted the matter for further hearing on July 19.
In
August 2023, the high court, in an interim order, prohibited Patanjali from
selling or advertising the camphor products.
Mangalam
Organics had filed a suit against Patanjali Ayurved, alleging copyright infringement
of their camphor products. It later filed an application, claiming Patanjali
was in breach of the interim order as it continued selling the camphor
products.
The
HC took note of the June 2024 affidavit submitted by Patanjali director
Rajneesh Mishra, tendering an unconditional apology and an undertaking to abide
by the orders passed by the high court.
In
the affidavit, Mishra said that after the passing of the injunction order,
there has been a cumulative supply of the impugned camphor product amounting to
Rs 49,57,861.