Ramdev’s counsel told the Supreme Court to note an unconditional apology
Ramdev’s counsel told the Supreme Court to note an unconditional apology
April 02, 2024 11:15 am | Updated 12:19 pm
The Supreme Court had directed the company to not make any “casual statements” to the print or electronic media about the efficacy of their medicinal products. File | Photo Credit: Kamal Narang
The Supreme Court on April 2 granted “last opportunity” to Yoga guru Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna to file affidavits in one week in connection with the show cause notices issued as to why contempt proceedings would not be initiated against them.
“You should have made sure affidavit is filed in pursuance of your solemn undertakings. Sometimes things should reach logical conclusion,” the court said on Patanjali’s plea for granting more time to file fresh affidavit in the case.
The court asked Ramdev and Balkrishna to remain present before it on next date of hearing on April 10.
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“You have to abide by undertaking given to court, you have broken every barrier. This is absolute defiance. Not just SC, every order passed by courts across country has to be respected,” the top court added.
Ramdev’s counsel told the Supreme Court to note an unconditional apology. Disapproving Patanjali MD’s statement in affidavit that Drugs and Cosmetics (Magic Remedies) Act is archaic, the court said, “Wondering why Union chose to keep its eyes shut when Patanjali was going to town saying there were no remedy for COVID in allopathy.”
A Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah had issued a show cause notice to Baba Ramdev to file his response against initiating contempt proceedings against him in a contempt case initiated against the firm 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 last year.
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On November 21, 2023, the court had directed the company to not make any “casual statements” to the print or electronic media about the efficacy of their medicinal products or indulge in any disparaging statements about other disciplines of medicine such as allopathy.
The top court had said it deemed it appropriate to issue a show cause notice to Ramdev as the advertisements issued by Patanjali, which were in the teeth of the undertaking given to the court on November 21, 2023, reflect an endorsement by him. The Bench observed that advertisements issued by Patanjali are in the “teeth of law” of the land.
However, a press conference was held by Baba Ramdev, on November 22, the very next day of the Supreme Court order. In the February hearing, the petitioner, Indian Medical Association, had described Baba Ramdev’s association with Patanjali as “everything and nothing at the same time”.
“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,” Justice Kohli had told Patanjali’s lawyers at the time.