The Supreme Court, on March 19, directed the personal appearance of Patanjali’s Managing Director Acharya Balakrishna and Baba Ramdev, co-founder of Patanjali. This decision came in response to a case where Patanjali was issued a Contempt notice for persisting in publishing misleading advertisements regarding medicinal cures despite assurances to the contrary.
Background of the Case
The case originated from a writ petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The petition raised concerns over the continuous spread of misinformation regarding allopathy and the modern system of medicine. It highlighted instances where Patanjali’s misleading advertisements disparaged allopathy and made false claims about curing certain diseases.
The IMA specifically referred to a half-page advertisement published on July 10, 2022, titled “MISCONCEPTIONS SPREAD BY ALLOPATHY: SAVE YOURSELF AND THE COUNTRY FROM THE MISCONCEPTIONS SPREAD BY PHARMA AND MEDICAL INDUSTRY.” The petition asserted that such unverified claims made by Patanjali violated laws such as the Drugs & Other Magic Remedies Act, 1954, and the Consumer Protection Act, 2019.
Court’s Scrutiny and Response to Lack of Reply
The Supreme Court had previously issued a Contempt notice to Patanjali Ayurved and its MD for continuing to publish misleading advertisements despite assurances. However, when the Court was informed that a reply to the Contempt notice was not filed, it decided to summon Acharya Balakrishna and Baba Ramdev. This decision was made due to the seriousness of the matter and the failure of Patanjali to adhere to its assurances.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Patanjali, acknowledged the absence of a reply and cited brief discussions with the client as the reason. Justice Kohli rebuffed this explanation, emphasizing the importance of filing a reply and the consequences of not doing so. Consequently, the Court compelled the personal appearance of Patanjali’s MD and Baba Ramdev in the next hearing.
