Patanjali Misleading Ads Case: SC asks IMA President to publish apology in all newspapers from his funds

New Delhi: Expressing unhappiness over the nature of the apology tendered by Indian Medical Association (IMA) President RV Asokan, the Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to accept his apology and asked why he tendered his apology to only its e-newspaper and a news agency. 

Stating that the apology was supposed to be published in all the newspapers that carried his interview, the court asked Asokan to publish apologies in all prominent newspapers that carried his interview over his controversial remarks regarding the hearing on misleading advertisements in the top court.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta also made it clear that Asokan will bear the expanses for the same from his own pocket and not to be done on the IMA's behalf.  

Also read- Misleading Ads Case: IMA chief tenders apology to Supreme Court

As per the PTI report, the top court was hearing a plea filed in 2022 by the IMA alleging a smear campaign by Patanjali against the COVID-19 vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine. On July 9, Asokan had told the apex court that his unconditional apology to the court was published in various publications.

The IMA’s counsel had said that Asokan’s unconditional apology was published in the association’s monthly publication, on the IMA website, as well as by PTI. During the hearing on Tuesday, a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta told the IMA’s counsel that the apology should have been published in all those newspapers where Asokan’s interview was carried.

“Was it published in all those newspapers where your interview was published,” the bench asked, adding that the IMA president was inviting trouble. 

Senior advocate P S Patwalia, appearing for the IMA, told the bench that Asokan would take appropriate steps to purge himself of the contempt. The bench has posted the matter for further hearing on August 27.

Earlier Asokan's lawyer apprised the court that an apology for his controversial remarks regarding the Patanjali hearing has been published in the various media platforms and its website too. When the IMA website is opened, there is a pop-up of this apology. He also apprised the court that the IMA President expressed regret and furnished an unconditional apology for such statements.

On the website, the apology was published by Dr R V Asokan National President, IMA who said that he expressed regret to the Supreme Court and has also submitted his affidavit to the Court for tendering my unconditional apology. The lawyer had also said that he never had any intention to lower the majesty or dignity of the Supreme Court.

In the interview with PTI, where he had answered queries about Patanjali Ayurved Ltd’s misleading advertisements case, Asokan said it was “unfortunate” that the Supreme Court criticised the association and also some of the practices of private doctors. The court also observed that the apology needs to be published in the newspapers by Asokan personally and not from the funds of the IMA.

Asokan was replying to a query about the Supreme Court’s observations during a hearing on April 23, when it had said while it was pointing one finger at Patanjali, the remaining four fingers were pointed towards IMA. 

During the hearing on May 14, the bench had posed some tough questions to Asokan over his “damaging” statements against the court in the interview and said, “You cannot sit on a couch giving an interview to the press and lampooning the court.” The court had then made it clear that it would not accept his affidavit tendering apology at that stage.

The court expressed its dissatisfaction with Asokan's remarks made just one day prior to the scheduled hearing of the case. It requested his response regarding an application submitted by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, which had asked the court to acknowledge the statements he made.

Also read- SC refuses to accept IMA president's Apology, Reserves verdict on Patanjali Misleading Ads case