NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a contempt notice to Patanjali Ayurved and its MD Acharya Balakrishna for publishing misleading advertisements about their medicinal products despite giving an undertaking to follow the court's orders.
The Supreme Court had in an earlier order restrained the company from issuing advertisements for products claiming to cure various ailments including blood pressure, diabetes and asthma.
The two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Hima Kohli and also comprising Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah, slammed and pulled up Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved over their alleged misleading advertisements about their products.
Referring to the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act 1954, the apex court in its order restrained Patanjali Ayurved from advertising products relating to diseases/disorders.
"The entire country is being taken for a ride (by Patanjali)," an angry SC observed. It said that prima facie, the court is of the view that R5 (Balkrishna) is in violation of the undertaking (given to the court not to show any misleading ads). It issued notice asking why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him (Balkrishna) and others.
The apex court also sought a detailed affidavit from the Centre on what steps it had taken in terms of the last order. If the court is not satisfied with the steps, appropriate orders will be passed accordingly later.
The apex court passed the order after hearing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) regarding the alleged misinformation against allopathy provided by Patanjali.
The association has also called out Patanjali co-founder Ramdev and others for making controversial statements against allopathy.
During the course of the hearing on Tuesday, senior lawyer PS Patwalia, appearing for the IMA, while referring to a press conference, alleged that Patanjali was saying that with the help of yoga, they have completely cured asthma. "Your lordship had restrained him (in the last order). Now, they are going on releasing and advertising products. This cannot be done."
After the pronouncement of the order, Dr Babu KV, an RTI activist who pursued this case against Ramdev and Patanjali, said his stand is vindicated.
"I had been complaining to the Ministry of Ayush, the state licensing authority of Uttarakhand, the central consumer protection authority and at last the Prime Minister's office for a period of two years against the continuing violations of the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act by Patanjali," Dr Babu said.