Case involving deceptive advertisements at Patanjali: Supreme Court holds contempt notice against Ramdev and Balkrishna

In order to provide an affidavit detailing the actions taken to recall advertisements for drugs for which a license has been revoked, Ramdev and Balkrishna want more time. SC gives them a three-week period.

Supreme Court ruling on Achrya Balakrishna and Baba Ramdev

In the case concerning the company's deceptive medication advertisements, the Supreme Court on May 14 reserved judgment between yoga guru Ramdev and managing director (MD) Balakrishna of Patanjali Ayurved.

The Supreme Court permitted Ramdev and Balkrishna three weeks to provide an affidavit outlining the actions taken to recall advertisements for drugs for which their licenses have been withdrawn, and they were excused from making a personal presence for the time being.

The Indian Medical Association's president, Dr. Asokan, was questioned by the Supreme Court for speaking with the media about the court's rulings in the case. You operate in precisely the same manner as Patanjali. Since you are an expert, don't you see the ramifications of such actions? The judge said, "You cannot sit on your sofa and bemoan the court's ruling.

The Supreme Court questioned the president of the IMA, saying, "What kind of example are you setting for 3.5 lakh doctors who have been part of the association"?

Patanajali's attorneys informed the court on April 30 that the business has apologized in 322 newspaper articles for making misleading representations regarding its goods.

The highest court also said that the management's attitude has significantly improved. "There has been a noticeable advancement. Previously, there was only Patanjali; today, there are names. We are grateful for it. The court mentioned the apologies bearing the names of Ramdev and Balakrishna and said, "They have understood."

In a previous hearing, the court questioned the pair whether the size of the company's ads matched the public apologies they released. The two had been severely criticized by the court, who would not accept their apologies.

We do not accept it (unconditional apologies)," the two-judge bench said on April 10, claiming it did not want to be "kind" in the matter. We refuse to. We see it as a willful, intentional breach of the agreement.

It required all of the officers who had been district Unani and Ayurvedic officials in the company's home city of Haridwar since 2018 to disclose the steps they had done.

On March 19, the court ordered Ramdev and Balkrishna to personally appear in court to answer to charges of contempt for their continued use of deceptive advertising.

They were served with a notice of contempt by the court for posting product advertising that were against the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable advertising) Act, 1954 and its regulations.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) filed a petition, and the orders were made in response.

Since then, the case has expanded to include claims made by other FMCG firms about the health advantages of their products, the behavior of physicians, and their involvement in the promotion of these items.