Patanjali sues YouTube channel over alleged defamatory video on Nutrela Soya Chunks

New Delhi: Patanjali Foods has moved the Bombay High Court against the YouTube channel ‘Trustified Certification’, alleging that a video uploaded on the channel defames and falsely maligns its product, Nutrela Soya Chunks.

The company has sought Rs 15.5 crore in damages and an immediate injunction to remove the video from the platform.

The video, titled “NUTRELA SOYA CHUNKS LAB TEST REPORT”, was uploaded on December 28, 2024. Patanjali said the content claims the product failed certain quality tests, and includes assertions such as “all vegetarian products are failing”, and that soya chunks did not meet standards for omega-3 and other criteria.

Patanjali alleged the statements are baseless, derogatory and aimed at misleading consumers. It said the video has harmed the reputation of Nutrela Soya Chunks, which it described as a plant-based, high-protein dietary supplement marketed as a natural vegetarian option.

As per court documents, Patanjali said it became aware of the video in January 2025 and issued a legal notice to the channel on March 4, 2025. The channel responded on March 10. Patanjali filed the suit in December 2025, claiming the video caused significant business disruption and damage to its brand.

In its damages claim, Patanjali has sought Rs 10.5 crore for loss of reputation and operational harm, along with Rs 5 crore as special damages for alleged injury to the ‘PATANJALI’ trademark.

Patanjali also told the court that Nutrela Soya Chunks has certification from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), and argued that the video’s claims contradict official findings. It said it would suffer irreparable harm without court intervention, and that removing the video would cause no prejudice to the defendants.

The suit names Arpit Trustified Certification, Trustified Solutions Pvt. Ltd., Google LLC, which owns YouTube, and others as defendants.

The matter came up before Justice Sharmila U. Deshmukh, sitting as a single-judge bench of the Bombay High Court. The defendants raised preliminary objections, arguing that the suit violates Section 12 of the Commercial Courts Act because mandatory pre-institution mediation was not undertaken. They also questioned urgency, pointing to a nine-month gap between the legal notice and the filing of the suit.

Appearing for Patanjali, advocate Apoorv Srivastava said the allegations were baseless and misleading, and sought urgent interim relief. Justice Deshmukh on Thursday said the court will hear the matter in detail on Monday, December 22. The bench has scheduled further hearings for next week.

Nutrela was acquired by Patanjali through its purchase of Ruchi Soya in 2019. The brand has been present in Indian households since 1979, and positions itself as a protein-rich alternative for vegetarians.