Patanjali Faces Court Notice Over Fish Extract in ‘Veg’ Product
Delhi High Court issues notice to Patanjali over claims that ‘Divya Manjan,’ marketed as vegetarian, contains fish-derived ingredients.
Court Issues Notice to Patanjali Over Alleged Mislabeling
The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to Patanjali Ayurved, its founder Baba Ramdev, the Central government, and Patanjali’s Divya Pharmacy after a petition was filed claiming that their herbal tooth powder, ‘Divya Manjan,’ marketed as a vegetarian product, actually contains fish extract.
Petition Claims Fish Extract in ‘Vegetarian’ Tooth Powder
The petitioner, who has been using ‘Divya Manjan’ for a long time, believed it to be a fully vegetarian and plant-based product. However, recent findings revealed that the product includes an ingredient called ‘samudraphen’ (Sepia officinalis), which comes from fish. Despite this, the product packaging displays a green dot, which indicates that the product is vegetarian.
Violation of Drugs and Cosmetics Act Alleged
The petitioner argues that this misleading packaging amounts to misbranding and violates the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. They expressed distress over this discovery, as their religious beliefs prohibit the consumption of non-vegetarian ingredients.
Baba Ramdev's Admission in Video Cited
The petition also mentions that Baba Ramdev himself admitted in a YouTube video that ‘samudraphen’ is an animal-based ingredient used in ‘Divya Manjan.’ Despite this, the product is still labeled as vegetarian.
Lack of Response from Authorities
The petitioner claims to have filed complaints with several government agencies, including
- The Ministry of Health
- The Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI)
- The Ministry of Ayush
However, they state that no action has been taken so far.
Call for Judicial Intervention and Compensation
The plea seeks judicial intervention to address the alleged mislabeling of the product and hold the responsible parties accountable. The petitioner is also seeking compensation for the distress caused by unknowingly consuming a non-vegetarian product.
Next Court Hearing Scheduled
After hearing the plea, the Delhi High Court issued notices to the concerned parties. The next hearing is scheduled for November 28.
Previous Legal Issues for Patanjali
This is not the first time Patanjali has faced legal challenges. Previously, the Supreme Court had ordered Patanjali and its co-founders, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, to take down misleading advertisements of their ayurvedic products and publicly apologize for deceptive advertising practices.
Source: Inputs from various media Sources
