In a relief to Reckitt Benckiser India, the maker of Dettol, the Delhi High Court directed a dermatologist and two influencers to edit out objectionable content from a podcast in which they allegedly made false, misleading, disparaging and defamatory remarks about the antiseptic product.
A bench led by Justice Saurabh Banerjee ordered dermatologist Manjot Marwah and influencers Raj Shamani and Ritik Chaturvedi on Tuesday to edit the content within 24 hours.
This resolution followed an amicable settlement between both parties. The court accepted the influencers’ plea to retain the edited video on YouTube but restrained them from re-uploading it on any other platform. Reckitt Benckiser will withdraw its lawsuit after the court’s order is implemented.
This case highlights how companies are increasingly fighting to safeguard their reputation and seeking legal protection against misinformation amid the rise of influencers in India’s expanding digital economy. Misleading claims can put even well-established brands such as Dettol on the defensive.
The controversy
Reckitt Benckiser India filed a plea against influencer Shamani’s 1 April podcast episode and a follow-up Instagram reel uploaded on April 5 in which Marwah allegedly said that Dettol is merely a floor-cleaning liquid and should not be applied on human skin.
The company asserted that Dettol is a licensed product approved for skin use and marketed as an antiseptic liquid in India since 1936. It argued that the product qualifies as a “drug” under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act, 1940.
“To call Dettol a disinfectant only fit for mopping floors is blatantly false and slanderous,” Reckitt’s legal representative and senior lawyer Chander M Lall said, adding that the Indian Pharmacopoeia defines an antiseptic as “an agent that inhibits or destroys microorganisms on living tissue, including skin, oral cavities, and open wounds.”
Reckitt alleged that the online content aimed to boost the podcast’s following and promote Marwah’s dermatology clinic. The company pointed out that the podcast had over 236,000 views and 5,700 likes, while the Instagram reel had garnered 2.4 million views. Dermatologist Marwah has 79,500 followers on Instagram.
Reckitt further alleged that the podcast episode and Instagram reel were created with malicious intent for personal monetary gain and might have been influenced by a competing business aiming to tarnish Dettol’s reputation.
“The reel damages me irreparably even if it’s up for an hour. The podcast can continue, just remove the part that speaks about Dettol,” Reckitt’s senior counsel had argued.
Reckitt also opposed Marwah’s claim that Dettol burns wounds or the skin and delays healing, stating that such allegations could mislead consumers and harm the brand’s credibility. The company argued that these statements could cause unnecessary panic and confusion among users who rely on Dettol for antiseptic purposes.
Additionally, the company informed the court that Marwah claimed Betadine is used in hospitals instead of Dettol, which Reckitt said amounted to promoting a rival brand.
