Patanjali accuses Kalpamrit Ayurveda of copyright violations, Battle In High Court

New Delhi: Patanjali Ayurved has pulled its former partner to Delhi high court for allegedly violating its trademark and copyrights.

Patanjali has claimed that the Kalpamrit Ayurved has allegedly violated its copyrights and trademark by launching products that are deceptively similar to Patanjali products in name, logo, and packaging casing dilution, rendition of accounts and damages to Patanjali.

The High Court in an interim order has restrained Kalpamrit and its associates from using ‘Patanjali’ word or logo/artwork similar to those used by Patanjali till further order.

During the hearing, a bench of Justice Manmohan said, “…this court is of the opinion that a prima facie case of infringement of trademark and copyright is made out in favour of the plaintiff and balance of convenience is also in its favour. Further, irreparable harm or injury would be caused to the plaintiff if an interim injunction order is not passed.”

The next hearing on the matter is listed for May 7.

Kalpamrit Ayurved works under the direct inspiration and guidance of yoga guru Swami Karamveer and he is a former partner of Ramdev, with whom he has cofounded Divya Yog Mandir Trust. His company sells a number of consumer products from toothpaste and shampoo to juices and spices under Kalpamrit brand.

Speaking with ET, a Patanjali spokesperson SK Tijarawala told, “Kalpamrit is using ‘Maharishi Patanjali Parivar’ on all its packaging of products and they are copying us.”

He further added that Patanjali objected to Kalpamrit’s green and saffron stroke logo, which is similar to Patanjali and also prayed for the cancellation of Maharishi Patanjali Parivar’s trademark applications.

“We were established in 2006 and they were established in 2015-16. Swamiji (Ramdev) has registered the Patanjali name 25 years ago and Karamveer had resigned from Divya Yog Mandir Trust more than a decade ago,” he added.

A spokesperson form Kalpamrit to ET, “We have not received any notice from the court and we have no information on this; so we are not commenting.”

According to the court documents reviewed by the daily, Patanjali in March 2017 had sent a legal notice to Kalpamrit not to use the Maharishi Patanjali Parivar on its products.

Kalpamrit had replied stating that "Patanjali is a proper Indian name and an ancient exponent of Raja Yog and the author of Yoga Sutras, a series of the verses about the eight steps needed to attain self -realisation and, therefore, the plaintiff has no exclusive right upon the trademark in the name Patanjali," according to the court documents.

Kalpamrit currently operates more than 100 mostly franchisee run outlets in various states, selling its branded items including honey, jams, mustard oil, spices, soaps, herbal tea, tomato ketchup, shampoo, and toothpaste.