On Tuesday, Patanjali Ayurved co-founder Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna appeared before the Supreme Court in New Delhi. The Supreme Court has now closed the contempt case against them after they agreed to stop issuing misleading advertisements and claims regarding Patanjali Ayurved Ltd products. This decision comes after a series of legal actions were taken against Patanjali for allegedly engaging in a smear campaign against modern medicine, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ramdev and Balkrishna apologized to the court, and the apex court warned them against violating its orders in the future. The court stated that they should adhere to the orders passed in this case and not repeat the same mistakes that led to the contempt proceedings.
In May, the Supreme Court heard a contempt case filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, Ramdev, and Balkrishna. The case focused on the misleading advertisements by the company, particularly those promoting Patanjali’s products as alternatives to allopathic treatments and Covid-19 vaccines.
During the hearing, the court emphasized Ramdev’s influence on the public and urged him to use that influence responsibly. While acknowledging Ramdev’s contributions to yoga, the court stressed that the promotion of Patanjali products required accountability.
The court instructed Patanjali to file affidavits within three weeks detailing the steps taken to recall misleading advertisements that led to their licenses being suspended. Patanjali’s counsel informed the bench that they had contacted all platforms running these ads and stopped the sale of banned products.
The contempt case against Patanjali emerged from a larger legal battle with medical associations. In 2021, several doctors’ associations, including those from prestigious institutions like AIIMS and the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research in Chandigarh, filed a lawsuit against Ramdev and Patanjali in the Delhi High Court. The lawsuit accused them of spreading misinformation about allopathic treatments and promoting Coronil as a cure for Covid-19.
The Delhi High Court issued an interim order directing Ramdev, Balkrishna, and others to remove disparaging statements about allopathic medicine from social media platforms and to issue apologies for their misleading advertisements. The court emphasized that these apologies should be as prominent as the original ads.
Overall, the resolution of the contempt case highlights the importance of responsible advertising and the consequences of misleading the public, especially in matters related to health and medicine. It serves as a reminder for all companies and individuals to uphold ethical standards in their promotional activities to avoid legal repercussions and maintain public trust.