Breaking: Supreme Court Closes Contempt Case Against Baba Ramdev And Acharya Balakrishna In Patanjali Misleading Advertisement Case
The Supreme Court today discharged the Contempt Notices issued to Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved Managing Director (MD) Acharya Balakrishna in the Patanjali misleading advertisements case.
The Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah pronounced the Judgment in open court today.
While closing the contempt proceedings against the duo, the Court said that it is accepting the unconditional apology tendered by them. The Court also warned them not to violate Court's orders in future.
Pertinently, on May 14, the Bench had reserved order in the contempt case. On April 23, the Bench had raised concerns about the size of the public apology published by Patanjali. Thereafter, the Ayurved company had again issued a larger public apology.
On April 16, the Court had granted Ramdev, Balkrishna and Patanjali one week to issue a public apology, though it did not expressly mention that in the Order, and had directed the duo to be present in person on the next date of hearing as well. It is to be noted that on April 10, the Court had refused to accept the second Affidavit tendering an unconditional apology filed by Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Managing Director (MD) Acharya Balakrishna over Patanjali Ayurved's alleged "misleading advertisements."
The Court had also pulled up the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority for not taking action against Patanjali Ayurved for publishing 'misleading advertisements'. The Court had told the State Licensing Authority, "We will rip you apart," when Senior Counsel Dhruv Mehta appearing for the Authority submitted that it acted under bonafide impression regarding an order passed by the Bombay High Court about the regulation under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act 1954.
On April 2, the Bench had directed both Ramdev and Balakrishna to remain present before it on the next date. The Bench also granted them a last opportunity to file their affidavits in the matter in one week. It is to be noted that on March 19, the Court had directed Ramdev and Balakrishna to appear before it for the first time for not replying to the show cause notice issued to them in contempt proceedings.
On February 27, the Court had come down heavily on Patanjali Ayurveda conglomerate for persistently disseminating alleged misleading claims and advertisements targeting modern systems of medicine and restrained it from advertising or branding some of the products manufactured and marketed by it that were meant to address the ailments/diseases/conditions mentioned under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act 1954 and the Rules.
The Court had also expressed dissatisfaction with Patanjali Ayurved's then ongoing promotion of such misleading information, despite giving an assurance in November 2023. On the earlier occasion, the Court had orally told Senior Advocate PS Patwalia that it is focused on the cause and on any individual. Senior Advocate Sajan Poovayya had then requested that the part of the order where the Court says that the issue is confined to Patanjali be corrected to say that the matter is not confined to Patanjali. Justice Amanullah said that Patanjali's case will be used as a test case, something to begin with for the present and that the exercise will not be limited to Patanjali.
Also, previously, the Bench had expressed its reluctance to turn the matter into a debate of "Allopathy vs. Ayurveda".
Cause Title: In Re: Patanjali Ayurved Limited, through its Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna, Baba Ramdev v. and Ors. [SMC (C) No. 4/2024]