Patanjali Misleading Advertisement Case: Supreme Court Asks Baba Ramdev To Be Present In Court Duning Next Hearing
Supreme Court has asked Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna to be present in the court during the next hearing of Patanjali’s misleading advertisement case
On Tuesday, as reported by The Hindu, the Supreme Court asked Baba Ramdev to appear in the contempt case against Patanjali Ayurved. The case against the brand which was widely promoted by the self-styled guru was filed for publishing misleading advertisements in violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, despite an undertaking given to the court in November 2023.
According to a new development in the case, a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah issued a show-cause notice to the guru. It was to file Baba Ramdev’s response against initiating the contempt proceedings against him. The bench also directed the Managing Director of Patanjali Ayurved, Acharya Balkrishna, to be present in the courtroom along with the 58-year-old for the next hearing, which will be conducted after two weeks.
Balkrishna’s presence was ordered by the court after it learned that he hadn’t filed a response to the show-cause notice issued to him on February 27, the previous date of the hearing. The explanations offered by senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Patanjali, were brushed aside by the court for not filing a reply. The Bench stated that Baba Ramdev should be heard in the case since he has been endorsing Patanjali advertisements even after they were prohibited by the court on November 21, 2023.
On November 21, the court directed the company not to make any “casual statements” to print or electronic media about the efficiency of their products or “indulge in any disparaging statements about other disciplines of medicine such as allopathy.” However, Baba Ramdev held a press conference the very next day of the Supreme Court order.
During the February hearing, Justice Kohli had told the Patanjali lawyers, “In November, we had specifically said there should be no violation of any law. That means that there should be nothing misleading, especially advertisements of drugs manufactured and marketed by you. We told you to not make any casual statements… But you are still advertising your products as a ‘permanent relief’. There was a ban on you advertising your products as a permanent relief for ailments under the 1954 Act.”
Image Source: Instagram