The legal dispute for the culinary supremacy in creating renowned Indian delicacies like Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani has reached the Delhi High Court. Moti Mahal and Daryaganj restaurants are presently entangled in a legal conflict regarding the appropriation of the tagline “Pioneers of Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani.”
Moti Mahal has filed a lawsuit against the proprietors of Daryaganj restaurant, claiming that they are falsely implying a link between the two establishments, thereby misleading the public.
As per Bar and Bench, the lawsuit argues that Daryaganj is inaccurately establishing an affiliation with Moti Mahal, the initial branch of which was founded in Daryaganj.
Justice Sanjeev Narula, presiding over the case, has directed the proprietors of Daryaganj restaurant to submit a written response within a month.
For years, both restaurant chains have claimed that they invented Butter Chicken and Dal Makhani.
Moti Mahal attributes the genesis of these dishes to their founder Kundal Lal Gujral, contending that the global recognition of these culinary delights within Indian cuisine is a testament to Mr. Gujral’s gastronomic expertise.
However, Daryaganj contends that Kundal Lal Jaggi came up with the dishes, rejecting the lawsuit as “baseless.”
According to Bar and Bench, the lawyer representing Daryaganj argued that the original Moti Mahal restaurant was a joint venture between the predecessors of both parties—Gujral of Moti Mahal and Jaggi of Daryaganj—in Peshawar, Pakistan.
The court is scheduled to revisit the matter on May 29. Until then, the lively debate over the “inventor of butter chicken and dal makhani” will continue.
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