Madras HC slaps Patanjali Ayurved with Rs 10 lakh fine over Coronil trademark row

Madras High Court on Thursday came down heavily at Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved for trying to make a profit by exploiting Coronavirus fear among people. High Court has directed Patanjali to pay Rs 5 lakh each to Adyar Cancer Institute and Government Yoga and Naturopathy Hospital in Chennai. court had restrained company from using trademark 'Çoronil' after Chennai-based company Arudra Engineering Private Limited claimed that it owned trademark since 1993. 

Patanjali and Divya Yog Mandir Trust had moved HC to vacate ex parte interim injunction order. Madras HC also made its injunction imposed earlier absolute, apart from slapping Patanjali with fine. 

'Still chasing furr profits'

" defendants (Patanjali Ayurveda and Divya Yog Mandir Trust) have repeatedly projected that y are 10,000 crores company. However, y are still chasing furr profits by exploiting fear and panic among general public by projecting a cure for Coronavirus, when actually ir 'Coronil Tablet' is t a cure but rar an immunity booster for cough, cold and fever," Justice CV Karthikeyan remarked in his judgement. 

READ | Madras HC Restraints Patanjali From Using 'Coronil' After Chennai-based Co. Claims Rights

court also maintained that Patanjali has invited litigation upon itself as a simple check with Trade Marks Registry would have revealed that 'Coronil' is a registered trademark. According to Arudra Engineering Private Limited, which is into manufacturing chemicals and sanitisers to clean heavy machinery and containment units, it has registered 'Coronil-213 SPL' and 'Coronil-92B' in 1993 and has been diligently renewing trademark since n. "Currently, our right over trademark is valid till 2027," company said. Claiming that its products with trademark have a global presence, company claimed that its clients include BHEL and Indian Oil.

READ | AYUSH Min Approves Patanjali's Coronil As Immunity Booster; Can't Sell It As COVID-19 Cure

Patanjali launches Coronil

A month ago, Patanjali Ayurved had launched a drug called 'Coronil', claiming that it had cured within a week all COVID-19 patients who took part in a trial conducted at privately-run National Institute of Medical Sciences in Jaipur. claim triggered a row with Union AYUSH ministry telling firm t to sell self-touted "cure" until it has examined issue.

AYUSH Ministry on July 1 approved sales of Patanjali's Coronil as an immunity booster and gave it license to make three medicines and allowed clinical trial under rules. However, Ministry said that Baba Ramdev's firm will t be able to sell its medicine with claims of curing Coronavirus. Ministry also said that Coronil cant mention COVID-19 on its packaging.

READ | Uddhav Govt Warns Ramdev Over Patanjali's Coronil; Won't Allow Sale Till Clinically Proven

READ | Madras HC Restraints Patanjali From Using 'Coronil' After Chennai-based Co. Claims Rights