Court in Mumbai orders temporary halt on sharing video containing Patanjali Foods' trademark Mahakosh, on platforms like Facebook and WhatsApp, courtesy of Meta Platforms.
A significant development took place in the commercial intellectual property suit lodged by Patanjali Foods Limited (lodging no. 12374 of 2023) in the Bombay High Court, when the Court issued a temporary injunction against Meta Platforms Inc. The injunction was granted due to alleged trademark infringement and the spreading of misleading and false information about Patanjali Foods Limited's product.
The dispute arose from a video circulating on Facebook containing disparaging remarks against Patanjali Foods Limited's product and its registered trademark, MAHAKOSH. Despite receiving a cease and desist notice in April 2023, Meta Platforms did not comply, leading Patanjali Foods Limited to array Defendant No. 3 in a John Doe action.
The video, which is the subject of the trademark infringement claim, has been ordered to be taken down by the Court. However, the Court order does not provide any details about the Impugned video beyond this fact. The Court has also made it clear that the ad-interim relief is to be operated against Meta Platforms and Defendant No. 3.
Interestingly, the Court order does not mention any specific penalties for non-compliance with the order by Meta Platforms, nor does it specify any timeline for the removal of the video URLs. The Court has, however, listed the application for further consideration on 27 June, 2023.
It is worth noting that Patanjali Foods Limited is the registered proprietor of the mark MAHAKOSH for edible oils. The company provided evidence of their presence in the edible oil market through sales turnover and advertisement spending. Despite the ongoing legal proceedings, the Plaintiff decided not to press the relief against Google.
As of August 13, 2025, there is no publicly available update regarding the status of the temporary injunction ordered against Meta Platforms. To obtain detailed or updated case status, it would be advisable to check directly with Indian court databases, legal bulletins, or official filings related to lodging no. 12374 of 2023 in the concerned jurisdiction’s commercial court.
References: [1] Indian Legal Update - Patanjali Foods Limited [4] Patanjali Foods Limited's Corporate Developments [5] Commercial Lawsuits in India
- The financial implications of this business dispute are substantial, as the Court's temporary injunction against Meta Platforms could potentially impact the advertising revenue generated by Meta Platforms from the controversially circulating video.
- This commercial intellectual property case, concerning trademarks like Patanjali Foods Limited's MAHAKOSH, underscores the importance of respecting registered trademarks and adhering to court orders in finance-driven business dealings.
