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

The 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. The High Court has directed Patanjali to pay Rs 5 lakh each to the Adyar Cancer Institute and Government Yoga and Naturopathy Hospital in Chennai. The court had restrained the company from using the trademark 'Çoronil' after Chennai-based company Arudra Engineering Private Limited claimed that it owned the trademark since 1993. 

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

'Still chasing further profits'

"The defendants (Patanjali Ayurveda and Divya Yog Mandir Trust) have repeatedly projected that they are 10,000 crores company. However, they are still chasing further profits by exploiting the fear and panic among the general public by projecting a cure for Coronavirus, when actually their 'Coronil Tablet' is not a cure but rather 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

The court also maintained that Patanjali has invited the litigation upon itself as a simple check with the 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 the trademark since then. "Currently, our right over the trademark is valid till 2027," the company said. Claiming that its products with the trademark have a global presence, the 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 the privately-run National Institute of Medical Sciences in Jaipur. The claim triggered a row with the Union AYUSH ministry telling the firm not to sell the self-touted "cure" until it has examined the issue.

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