Yoga guru Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurveda managing director Acharya Balkrishna appeared before the Supreme Court in New Delhi on Tuesday in connection with the Patanjali misleading advertising case. Photo | PTI
The Supreme Court on Tuesday accused Patanjali yoga gurus Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna of filing improper affidavits in connection with misleading advertisements for Patanjali medicines. did.
Mr. Ramdev and Mr. Balkrishna appeared in person before a two-judge bench of the SC, headed by Justice Hima Kohli and also headed by Justice Afsanuddin Amanullah, pursuant to an earlier order of the SC asking them to do so.
Although Ramdev offered an unconditional apology to the SC for violating its order, the court expressed serious dissatisfaction with the wording of his affidavit.
“You cannot write anything and get away with it. We are sorry but we are not that lenient,” the Supreme Court told Ramdev. However, as a gesture of goodwill, it has given one last chance to Baba Ramdev and Achyya Balkrishna to file their respective befitting responses on the issue and submitted the case till April 10 for further hearing. .
The Supreme Court also directed both men to reappear in court on the next date.
The hearing was to hear a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which argued that Patanjali Ayurveda’s advertisements, which claim to cure certain diseases such as blood pressure, diabetes and asthma, amount to misinformation. “It is completely wrong to promote or treat these types of diseases,” the IMA said.
Patanjali Ayurveda has filed a complaint with the Supreme Court on November 21, 2023, while following the Supreme Court’s notice asking it to show cause why contempt of court should not be initiated for allegedly flouting an undertaking made to the Supreme Court. We apologized for the conditions.
Acharya Balkrishna’s affidavit in the Supreme Court said: “We regret that the offending advertisement inadvertently included the offending text, which was supposed to contain only general statements. ” is stated.
Dissatisfied with this, the Supreme Court took a strong exception to Patanjali Ayurveda and its MD for not filing a reply to the notice that Ramdev had ‘breached’ its promises regarding misleadingly advertised products. It had directed him and Balkrishna to appear in person in court on Tuesday.
At a hearing on February 27, the Supreme Court suspended advertising of Patanjali Ayurvedic medicines and issued contempt notices to founders Ramdev and Balkrishna for making misleading claims.
Citing the Drugs and Magical Remedies (Offensive Advertisements) Act, 1954, the Supreme Court restrained the company from publishing advertisements related to various ailments including blood pressure, diabetes and asthma.
