New Delhi: The Supreme Court has directed Baba Ramdev, the renowned yoga guru, and the Managing Director of Patanjali Ayurved Acharya Balakrishna, to appear personally before the court for failing to submit a response to a show cause notice in contempt proceedings related to misleading advertisements.The court’s decision came after Baba Ramdev and the MD of Patanjali Ayurved failed to file a reply to the show cause notice.
The matter pertains to allegations of Patanjali Ayurved airing misleading advertisements, which led to the initiation of contempt proceedings against Baba Ramdev and the MD of Patanjali Ayurved. Despite the court’s directives, they have not yet responded. The Supreme Court has scheduled the next date of hearing for the case after two weeks, although the specific date is yet to be specified.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had pulled up Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali and issued a contempt of court notice over misleading ads about their products. Patanjali had assured they would withdraw the ads.
Additionally, the top court had imposed a complete ban on Patanjali Ayurved from publishing any advertisements related to diseases or conditions. The Court restrained Patanjali Ayurved from advertising its products relating to diseases/disorders specified in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act 1954.
“You (Patanjali) had the courage and guts to come up with this advertisement after the order of this Court! And then you come up with this advertisement. Permanent relief, what do you mean by permanent relief? Is it a cure?” the SC observed during the hearing.
Hearing the matter, Justice Amanullah said, “Misleading advertisements cannot be tolerated at all.” The court also said that the government did nothing to stop the ads and “is sitting with its eye closed.”The Supreme Court had in November last year cautioned Patanjali Ayurved against making “false” and “misleading” claims in advertisements about its medicines as a cure for several diseases.
