The Supreme Court issued a stern rebuke to Patanjali Ayurved’s co-founder Ramdev and Managing Director Balakrishna for their failure to submit proper affidavits regarding the company’s misleading advertisements.
Expressing dissatisfaction with their non-compliance, the Court emphasized the importance of respecting court orders, stating that their actions amounted to “absolute defiance.” The bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah refused to accept the apology tendered by Patanjali last month, asserting that it fell short of expectations.
Ramdev’s lawyer expressed readiness for personal apologies from both Ramdev and Balakrishna, but the Court remained unmoved, insisting on compliance with its directives. Granting a final opportunity, the Court instructed them to file their affidavits within a week and summoned them to appear on April 10 for the next hearing.
Moreover, the Court criticized the Centre for its inaction, questioning why the government had chosen to turn a blind eye. The case originated from a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which highlighted Patanjali’s allegedly false and misleading advertisements about its medicines, casting aspersions on allopathy and medical practitioners.
In response to the IMA’s concerns, the Supreme Court had previously directed Patanjali to cease all electronic and print advertisements containing misleading information. The ongoing legal saga underscores the importance of adhering to regulations and upholding the integrity of advertising practices in the healthcare sector.