Social media influencer Raj Shamani on Tuesday told the Delhi High Court that he will edit and remove the portion of a YouTube video of his podcast where dermatologist Dr. Manjot Marwah made disparaging claims about Dettol antiseptic liquid. The undertaking formed a part of the settlement reached between Shamani and Reckitt Benckiser India, the company that makes the antiseptic liquid Dettol.

Reckitt dragged influencers Raj Shamani and Ritik Chaturvedi and dermatologist Dr Manjot Marwah  to the High Court over accusations of disseminating false and harmful information about their flagship product in a recent podcast and social media posts. The firm said that the claims are “false, disparaging, and defamatory,” endangering both its 90-year history and the faith of its customers by characterizing Dettol as a “floor cleaner” that is unsuitable for skin usage.

Attack on Dettol

The controversy started with an April 1, 2025, podcast called “Skin Mistakes You Didn’t Know! Tanning & Sunburn EXPOSED,” and an April 5 Instagram reel with the message, “Never Use Dettol on Your Skin.” In the video, Dr Marwah, who has more than 783,000 Instagram followers, claimed that Dettol “burns wounds and delays healing,” thus users should refrain from applying it to their skin. The claims have gained more traction as the podcast has gained more than 300,000 views.

On Monday, April 7, the case was brought before Justice Saurabh Banerjee for an urgent hearing. Reckitt was represented by senior counsel Chander M. Lall. The company contended that Dettol satisfies international safety standards, has been a licensed antiseptic in India since 1936, and is categorized as a “drug” under the Drugs & Cosmetics Act. 

Lall rejected Dr Marwah’s citation of a Philippine FDA study, claiming that since Dettol is not distributed by its affiliate in the Philippines, the report had no bearing on the Indian market. He underlined that there may be a conflict of interest because the viral content not only deceives customers but also subtly advertises competing antiseptic liquids like Betadine.

Also read: Drinking urine for health benefits, as Morarji Desai did?