Achi news desk-
New Delhi4 days ago
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The court had ordered Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna to appear on March 19. (file photo)
In the ongoing Supreme Court case regarding a misleading medicine advertisement of Patanjali Ayurveda, the company has now apologized for its mistake. Patanjali Ayurveda and its MD Acharya Balkrishna have tendered an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court for giving misleading and deceptive drug advertisements.
In this apology, a promise has also been made not to air the ad again. Acharya Balkrishna says the company’s media department was not aware of the Supreme Court order. He says his objective was to encourage citizens to live a healthy life by consuming Patanjali products.
The Supreme Court had ordered Baba Ramdev and Balkrishna to appear
The court has asked Swami Ramdev (co-founder of Patanjali) and MD Patanjali Acharya Balkrishna to appear in court on April 2 in the case of misleading Patanjali Ayurveda medicine advertisement. The company and Acharya Balkrishna did not file a reply to the notice, hence this order was issued.
Now he may have to appear in court on the next date. The court had issued a notice in the hearing held on March 19 and also asked why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him. The bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah is hearing the case. Earlier this case was heard on 27 February.
In the hearing on February 27, the court had banned the misleading advertisements of Patanjali Ayurveda medicine. Apart from this, a show cause notice was issued in contempt cases. In fact, the court had directed not to publish misleading advertisements last year, but the company ignored it.
Court hears Indian Medical Association’s petition
The Supreme Court was hearing the petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on August 17, 2022. It said that Patanjali had done negative publicity against Covid vaccination and allopathy. At the same time, he falsely claimed to cure certain diseases with his own Ayurvedic medicines.
A Patanjali Wellness ad was published on July 10, 2022. The ad accused allopathy of spreading “misunderstandings”. IMA had filed a petition on 17 August 2022 regarding this advertisement.
Patanjali had released advertisements even after the court order
In the earlier hearing, the IMA presented the advertisements released in the print media in December 2023 and January 2024 before the court. Apart from this, he was also told about a press conference of Yoga Guru Ramdev with Patanjali CEO Balkrishna on 22 November 2023. Patanjali had claimed in these advertisements to ‘completely cure’ diabetes and asthma.
This conference was held just one day after the Supreme Court hearing. In the hearing held on 21 November 2023, Justice Amanullah said – Patanjali will have to immediately stop all advertisements with misleading claims. The court will take any such offense very seriously and may impose a penalty of up to Rs 1 crore for each false claim on a product.
The court said that Patanjali is cheating the country by making misleading claims.
In the last hearing, the bench said – Patanjali is cheating the country by making misleading claims that its medicines will cure certain diseases, while there is no concrete evidence for this. Patanjali cannot advertise its products claiming to cure diseases specified in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Adverse Advertisements) Act.
The court had asked the government – you What action was taken against Patanjali?
The court had asked the government what action has been taken against Patanjali’s advertisements under the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Adverse Advertisements) Act 1954. On behalf of the Centre, the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) said that data be collected in this regard. The court expressed dissatisfaction with this answer and instructed to keep an eye on the company’s advertisements.
Patanjali was surrounded by claims of making a Covid medicine
Ramdev Baba had claimed that Corona can be treated with his products Coronil and Swasari. Apart from this, Patanjali has also been in controversies regarding some of its other products.
- In 2015, the company did not get a license from the Food Safety and Regulatory Authority of India (FSSAI) before launching atta instant noodles. After this, Patanjali had to face a legal notice for violating food safety rules.
- In 2015, the Canteen Stores Department had declared Patanjali’s Amla juice unfit for consumption. After this CSD had withdrawn Amla juice from all its stores. In 2015 itself, people in Haridwar had complained about fungus and impurities being found in Patanjali Ghee.
- In 2018 too, FSSAI had reprimanded Patanjali for writing the manufacturing date one month in advance on the medicinal product Giloy Ghanvati.
- Apart from Corona, Ramdev Baba has been controversies many times over the claim of curing cancer, AIDS and homosexuality with Yoga and Patanjali products.
