In a big blow to Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved, the Madras High Court has imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on the company for ‘chasing profit’ by claiming to have a cure for Covid-19. The court refused to lift the interim stay preventing Patanjali from using the term to market its immunity buster tablet against Covid-19.
The judgment was given by the Madras High Court on a trademark infringement suit filed by Chennai-based Arudra Engineers Private Limited, which was using the registered trademarks Coronil-213SPL and Coronil-92B for its industrial cleaning chemicals for nearly three decades, the Indian Express reported.
“A simple check with the trademark registry would have revealed that Coronil is a registered trademark. If they had done so and still with audacity used the name, then they deserve no consideration at all,” Justice CV Karthikeyan said in his order.
He added that Patanjali was chasing profits by “exploiting the fear and panic among the general public by projecting a cure for the coronavirus”.
The justice also observed, “They must realise that there are organisations which are helping the people in this critical period without seeking recognition and it would only be appropriate that they are made to pay costs to them.”
The court directed the company to pay Rs 5 lakh each to Adyar Cancer Institute and Government Yoga and Naturopathy Medical College and Hospital.
“In both the organisations, treatments are afforded free of cost without any claim to either trademark, trade name, patent or design, but only with service as a moto,” the judge said and directed that the cost must be paid on or before August 21.