On Tuesday, Yogrishi Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, the managing director of Patanjali Ayurved, were summoned by the Supreme Court to appear in person.
A bench led by Justice Hima Kohli observed that the ayurvedic company failed to respond to the notice of contempt it was served for persistently publishing deceptive advertisements.
Acharya Balkrishna and Patanjali were the target of contempt proceedings on February 27 by the Bench, which also included Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah. The Bench noted that the respondents had prima facie breached the undertaking that they had given to the Supreme Court in November of last year.
Previously, Patanjali had promised the Supreme Court that it would not advertise or brand its products illegally, make any claims about the medicinal efficacy of the product, or release any kind of statement to the media criticising any medical system.
The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, which forbids the promotion of specific products for the treatment of specific diseases and disorders, such as diabetes, heart disease, high or low blood pressure, and obesity, is the reason the Indian Medical Association is suing Patanjali.
Baba Ramdev, the founder of Patanjali and yoga guru, was the target of multiple FIRs in multiple states due to his contentious remarks opposing the use of allopathic medicine for treating COVID-19.
“More people have died due to allopathic medicines than due to a shortage of medical oxygen or beds,” stated Baba Ramdev in a video.
