Dettol maker Reckitt sues dermatologist, influencers over “misleading” claims

Reckitt Benckiser India, the company behind Dettol, has filed a petition in the Delhi High Court against dermatologist Dr. Manjot Marwah and social media influencers Raj Shamani and Ritik Chaturvedi. The company alleges that the trio made “false, misleading, and defamatory” comments about Dettol Antiseptic Liquid in a recent podcast and on social media, according to a report by Bar and Bench.

The matter was presented for urgent hearing on Monday, April 7, before Justice Saurabh Banerjee. Despite nearly an hour of arguments from Reckitt’s lawyer, Senior Advocate Chander M Lall, the court did not issue any interim relief. The hearing was adjourned to 12:30 PM on Tuesday, April 8. The judge noted that since Dr. Marwah is a qualified dermatologist and aware of the proceedings, the court would allow one more opportunity for the defendants to appear.

The dispute centers around a podcast episode aired on April 1 titled "Skin Mistakes You Didn't Know! Tanning & Sunburn EXPOSED" and an Instagram reel posted on April 5, in which Dr. Marwah allegedly advised against using Dettol on the skin. She reportedly claimed Dettol is like a floor cleaner and can harm wounds by burning them and delaying healing. Marwah backed her statements by citing a report from the Philippines FDA, which Reckitt dismissed as irrelevant, stating the product isn't sold by its affiliate there.

Lall argued that Dettol has been safely marketed in India as a skin antiseptic since 1936 and is classified as a “drug” under Indian law. He emphasised that labeling it as suitable only for floor cleaning is not only untrue but also harmful to the brand’s reputation. He also suggested the podcast and reel were meant to boost Marwah’s clinic and drive traffic, pointing out the high engagement the content had received—over 2.4 million views on the reel and over 236,000 views on the podcast episode.

Lall also criticised Marwah for promoting Betadine, suggesting it implied a rival endorsement. However, Justice Banerjee said he wasn’t immediately convinced that the comments amounted to disparagement, since Marwah is a medical professional sharing her opinion.

The hearing is set to resume the next day, with the judge indicating a decision would follow.

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