NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has asked a committee formed by the Ministry of Ayush to give its recommendations within ten weeks on a plea seeking action against a Patanjali toothpaste purportedly containing non-vegetarian ingredients and selling it under green dot, meant for vegetarian products.
Dealing with the plea, Justice Subramonium Prasad noted, earlier in August last year, a committee has been constituted by the Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani Drugs Technical Advisory Board (ASUDTAB), to determine the criteria by which raw materials used in the production of drugs can be categorised into veg, nonveg or more categories.
"..the Committee.. shall give its recommendations within a period of 10 weeks from today," the high court ordered.
Petitioner Adv Yatin Sharma was approaching the court with a complaint against Patanjali Ayurved Ltd. over alleged unlawful use of non-vegetarian ingredients in "Dant Manjan".
His plea contended that the product violates various provisions of Drugs and Cosmetics Act, 1940 and sought directions for actions against over "misleading and misrepresenting" of the said product.
He also sought to investigate the matter under the sections and provisions of Indian Penal Code and initiate strict legal actions against the respondent for misleading, undue influence, hurting religious sentiments, deceive, misrepresenting & cheating to their customers.
Last year, he had approached the Ministry of Ayush with his complaint. To this, the Ministry had said that there was no provision to mention any sign or mark to show that the product in question contains nonvegetarian products under the labelling provision of Rule 161 of Drugs and Cosmetics Rules 1945.
It further said that the ASUDTAB Board in its meeting held on May 25 last year recommended to constitute a committee to determine the criteria for categorising raw materials used in drugs into veg, non veg or more categories.