The two had earlier crossed swords over Fena's innovative `think-beyond-nimbu' ad campaign, the transmission of which was allegedly scuttled by HLL.

In a reply submitted by HLL with the Monopolies & Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) to a petition filed by Fena, the former admitted that Wheel only contains lemon perfume. However, HLL dismissed that it has misled its consumers.

HLL had been challenged by Fena in MRTPC on the grounds of misleading consumers by a false claim in the advertisement campaign of Wheel, which emphasises the cleaning power of lemon, an ingredient closely associated with the brand.

Fena had earlier filed a case in the Advertising Standards Council of India (Asci) alleging violation of the council's code of honesty in advertising by HLL by way of makingfalse and misleading statements.

In its reply HLL further said that the company has spent over Rs 50 crore on the advertising of Wheel over the last ten years but has never misled the consumer on the product's content. Further hearing in the case has been scheduled for February.

The Wheel-Fena detergent war began in October last year when HLL reportedly objected to Fena's new advertisement, which was to be telecasted during the popular television serial Om Namah Shivay on Doordarshan. However, HLL allegedly pressurised the programme producer to drop the Fena ad.

In its submission with the MRTPC, HLL however, has denied that lemon is the main ingredient in Wheel and that claims of lemon being added for better washing action on clothes and stain removal were never made by the company as a strategy to sell the product.

HLL clarified that Wheel detergent powder and cake contain only "lemon perfume" from natural lemon oil.

The company has pointed out that the packaging of the product does notmention that either the Wheel detergent or, the cake contain lemon, as alleged by Fena.

The company has justified the visual depiction of lemon and its reference in Wheel's advertisement and product packaging on the basis of the presence of lemon perfume.