By: Shajil Kumar
The supreme court on Tuesday (19) directed the personal appearance of yoga guru Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved managing director Acharya Balkrishna over misleading advertisements and for failing to respond to a contempt notice.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah noted that Patanjali did not file a response even though it had held a press conference after its previous order.
The court was hearing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association alleging a smear campaign by Ramdev against modern medicines and making false claims about curing certain diseases.
The court order states both Ramdev and Balakrishna prima facie in violation of Sections 3 and 4 of the Drugs and Remedies Act, which deal with misleading ads of medicines.
The supreme court had in November 2023 objected to Patanjali making ‘false’ claims to cure diseases in its advertisements and threatened action.
The top court last month issued a contempt notice noting that Patanjali continued issuing misleading advertisements despite the assurance given by its counsel last November.
The court had issued a notice to Patanjali and Balkrishna, asking why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them.
It had also pulled up the union government for not taking action.
Patanjali was co-founded by Ramdev in 2006. He has a huge fan following in India and offers yoga cures for many illnesses through his TV shows.
Patanjali sells personal care products and ayurvedic medicines, but has often faced the ire of doctors and activists, who accuse the firm of making incorrect assertions about medicinal efficacy.
