Dettol Drags Dermatologist Dr Manjot Marwah And Influencers Raj Shamani And Ritik Chaturvedi To Delhi High Court
Dettol Drags Dermatologist Dr Manjot Marwah And Influencers Raj Shamani And Ritik Chaturvedi To Delhi High Court
However, the bench was unconvinced by the company’s claims and provided the defendants a chance of being heard
Reckitt Benckiser India, the maker of Dettol, has approached the Delhi High Court seeking action against dermatologist Dr. Manjot Marwah and influencers Raj Shamani and Ritik Chaturvedi.
Reckitt accused them of “false, misleading, disparaging and defamatory” remarks about Dettol Antiseptic Liquid (DAL) during a podcast.
However, the bench of Justice Saurabh Banerjee declined to issue an interim order.
The court observed that the defendants were served notices via Email and WhatsApp and granted them an opportunity to respond.
The judge held, “Considering the factual matrix involved as also the fact that defendant-1 (Marwah) claims to be a dermatologist and is well aware of the proceedings, one chance is given to the defendants.”
The controversy arose after an episode of the podcast ‘Skin Mistakes You Didn't Know! Tanning & Sunburn Exposed’ was uploaded on social media on 1 April 2025, and a 5 April follow-up on Instagram reel ‘Never Use Dettol on your Skin’.
Reckitt claimed that Marwah allegedly stated that Dettol was essentially a floor cleaning liquid and should not be applied to human skin. She added that Dettol “burns wounds and delays healing.”
Marwah, possessing an MD in dermatology, has over 783,000 Instagram followers. To support her claim, she referred to a report by the Philippines FDA.
Representing Reckitt, Senior Advocate Chander M Lall countered the report, stating it was irrelevant, as Dettol was not sold by its affiliate in the Philippines.
He asserted that Dettol was a licensed product, approved for use on skin and marketed as an antiseptic liquid in India since 1936. Lall added that the product qualified as a ‘drug’ under Section 3(b)(i) of the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940.
The counsel argued, “To call Dettol a disinfectant, only fit for mopping floors, is blatantly false and slanderous. The Indian Pharmacopoeia defines an antiseptic as an agent that inhibits or destroys microorganisms on living tissue, including skin, oral cavities, and open wounds.”
He alleged that the online content was aimed at driving viewership for the podcast and promoting Marwah’s dermatology clinic. He pointed out that the podcast garnered over 236,000 views and 5,700 likes, while the Instagram reel racked up 2.4 million views.
Lall reasoned, “The reel damages the company irreparably even if it’s up for an hour. The podcast can continue, just remove the part that speaks about Dettol. Marwah is highly popular on Instagram. By the time it comes up for hearing, it will be posted and shared. If she posts this on various forums, it will be difficult to control. Even the court order can’t stop it. So, why should they not appear today, when I have sent them three notices?”
The senior advocate added that Marwah claimed that Betadine was used in hospitals instead of Dettol. He stressed that it amounted to her promoting a rival brand over Dettol.
Unconvinced by the claim of disparagement, Justice Banerjee held, “It’s an interpretation given by her; she is a qualified dermatologist.”
Senior Advocate Chander M Lall was briefed by Advocate Nancy Roy from Lall and Sethi, along with Advocates Jawahar Lal and Meghna Kumar from J-Law.
