Legal Battle Escalates Over Origin of ‘Butter Chicken’ & ‘Dal Makhani’; Daryaganj Moves Delhi HC against Moti Mahal

The legal dispute surrounding the purported origins of iconic Indian dishes butter chicken and dal makhani is intensifying. Following the decision by the Delhi High Court to arbitrate the dispute between two Delhi-based restaurant chains, Moti Mahal and Daryaganj, allegations of defamatory remarks have emerged as a focal point of contention.

Daryaganj has moved the high court against certain purportedly defamatory remarks attributed to the proprietors of Moti Mahal in a newspaper interview regarding the origin of “butter chicken.” Nonetheless, the owners of Moti Mahal have maintained that the remarks in question were merely an “editorial perspective” and cannot be directly attributed to them.

The legal battle commenced after the owners of Moti Mahal filed a lawsuit in January, asserting that their predecessor, Late Kundan Lal Gujral, had “invented” butter chicken and dal makhani. They accused Daryaganj of “misleading people” regarding the origin of these dishes.

Justice Sanjeev Narula instructed the proprietors of Moti Mahal to submit an affidavit affirming their efforts to disassociate themselves from the disputed statements published in articles. Daryaganj, in its application, expressed concerns about the “defamatory” nature of the statements, claiming they had a significantly negative impact on the restaurant’s reputation and could prejudice a fair adjudication on the lawsuit.

Moti Mahal’s proprietors sought to distance themselves from the allegedly defamatory remarks, stating that the expressions found in the article did not accurately reflect their direct communications or intentions.

The court directed Moti Mahal’s owners to submit an affidavit elaborating on their assertions and affirming their efforts to distance themselves from the disputed statements within two weeks.

For years, both restaurant chains have laid claim to having “invented” butter chicken and dal makhani. However, in January, Moti Mahal sued Daryaganj for allegedly taking credit for these dishes.

Moti Mahal’s owners sought to restrain Daryaganj from claiming that their predecessor, Late Kundan Lal Jaggi, was the inventor of these dishes and from using the tagline “by the inventors of butter chicken and dal makhani” on various platforms.

The high court had previously issued a summons to Daryaganj’s owners, requiring them to file a written statement in response to the lawsuit.

In their suit, Moti Mahal’s owners asserted that it was their predecessor, Kundan Lal Gujral, who created the first tandoori chicken and subsequently developed butter chicken and dal makhani, bringing them to India after Partition.

Daryaganj’s counsel vehemently opposed these claims, arguing that the suit lacked merit and failed to establish a cause of action. They contended that the defendants had not engaged in any false representation or claim.

The matter is scheduled to be heard next on May  29, 2024.