Patanjali Ads Case: SC gives Ramdev, MD Balkrishna a week to issue public statement

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday interacted with Yoga guru Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, Patanjali's Managing Director in the proceedings against misleading advertisements and making comments against allopathic medicines. The court has given them a week to issue a public statement. 

Yoga guru Baba Ramdev apologised to the Supreme Court on Tuesday for publishing misleading advertisements and making comments against allopathic medicines and assured that he will ''remain conscious about it in future''. 

Co-founder of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd., Ramdev, tendered unconditional apology "for the mistakes", adding that "What we did at the time was not correct. We will be conscious about it in the future", reports news agency ANI.

Acharya Balkrishna, Managing Director of Patanjali, also extended an apology to the apex court, emphasizing that their actions were unintentional.

The apex court said that the duo are not off the hook yet and will think about accepting their apologies.

According to an ANI report, "This is irresponsible behaviour. The previous history of yours is damaging. We will think over it, whether to accept your apology or not," Justice Kohli said.

The bench told Ramdev that he was "not so innocent" and criticised him for his "irresponsible behaviour".

The apex court said, "We are not saying we will forgive you. We cannot be blind to your earlier history; we will think about your apology. You are not so innocent that you were completely unaware of what was going on in Court. At this moment, we are not saying they are off the hook."

It was hearing the contempt case against Patanjali Ayurved, Ramdev and Balkrishna in connection with the misleading advertisements of their products.

The contempt case against Patanjali Ayurved, Ramdev, and Balkrishna revolves around the dissemination of misleading advertisements for their products. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) filed a petition alleging a smear campaign against the Covid-19 vaccination drive and modern medicine.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that Not convinced by the latest apology, the Supreme Court refused to accept the second affidavits filed by Ramdev and managing director of Patanjali Ayurved Balkrishna tendering unconditional apologies over publishing “misleading” advertisements, asserting they did so when “caught on the wrong foot”.

Earlier, on two occasions they tendered unconditional and unqualified apology with regard to issue of advertisement. However, the bench had refused to accept their affidavits tendering apologies and slammed them for the misleading advertisements carry out by them and the company.

During today's hearing, the bench said it wanted to interact with Ramdev and Balkrishna and asked them what they wanted say.

"What we did at that point of time, it should not have been done. We apologies for that. This all happened in the excitement of work. It wouldn't happen in future," Ramdev told the bench with folded hands.

Balkrishna told the bench that they should not have done it.

Justice Kohli said they cannot claim a cure for specific diseases in its advertisements and it is illegal to advertise medicines as specific cures for diseases.

"Advertising medicines for the treatment of specific diseases is not permitted. Neither a doctor, not a pharmacy can do that. It is irresponsible to do that," the bench told Ramdev.

Justice Amanullah said every citizen is bound by the law and they cannot degrade allopathy while promoting its products.

"Your apology is not coming from your heart," Justice Amanullah said.

The bench asked them to appear before it on April 23 also.

Earlier, the apex court also slammed the Uttarakhand government for being "hand-in-glove" with errant licensing officers who failed to take action against Patanjali for publishing misleading advertisements.

The top court had earlier also directed Patanjali not to publish false advertisements in the future and later issued contempt of court notices to the company, Ramdev and Balkrishna.