Uttarakhand Chief Minister Patanjali Ramdev accused of misleading public on coronavirus, other treatments, ET Health World

NEW DELHI: An Indian state has accused yoga guru Baba Ramdev of using his traditional Ayurvedic medicine as a treatment for the coronavirus after it was approved only as an “immune booster.” According to court documents reviewed by Reuters, the company has been charged with criminal offenses for promoting the company as

Ramdev, who has become popular in India, the US and other countries for his yoga remedies and Ayurvedic products, has captivated the nation with claims that his medicines can cure heart disease and other diseases such as cancer. The application revealed that the company had been misled.

Ramdev violated the Indian Narcotics Act “by misleading the public,” according to a private April 16 filing by the drug regulator in a district court in northern Haridwar.

A spokesperson for Ramdev and his company, Patanjali Ayurveda, denied allegations that they were making misleading claims about COVID-19 drugs and said they would clarify the point in court. He did not comment on the allegations regarding other drugs.

In its filing, regulators are seeking punishment for Ramdev, which could extend to up to six months in prison if convicted.

The latest incident in Haridwar, in the northern state of Uttarakhand, where Ramdev and his company are based, has appeared on a TV show offering yoga remedies, consumer products and health products, and has millions of followers around the world. This is the latest challenge for yoga instructors with .

India’s Supreme Court has criticized Ramdev in a separate case for misleading advertisements for his medicines and has refused to accept his apology.

In the latest case in Haridwar, the regulator said in court that Ramdev had “licensed” his product Coronil during the pandemic only as an “immune booster,” according to filings. He said that he promoted it as a treatment.

Coronil was launched to much fanfare in 2020 and was endorsed on stage in 2021 by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s then health minister during an event with Ramdev.

“This is not just control, it’s a cure,” Ramdev said at one of Coronil’s launch events at the time, according to India Today. He added that the “7-day recovery rate is 100% and the mortality rate is 0%.”

The Haridwar lawsuit accuses Ramdev of misleading the public in 2024 with a recent advertisement for a product called “Divya Cystogrit,” which the regulator claims “Cures Cancer with Cystogrit.” It is said that it was sold as “.

The case will be heard by a judge on Friday.