THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the Supreme Court pulled up Baba Ramdev’s company for publishing ads with false claims, the state drug control department has firmed up plans to prosecute the Patanjali Ayurved products for misleading drug promotion. If the drug regulator goes ahead with the plan, the Haridwar-based Divya Pharmacy which markets the Patanjali Ayurved products, will face prosecution in various courts across the state.
“The drug inspectors have been monitoring the activities of the illegal drug promotions. We will initiate steps for prosecution in courts where the offences have been identified,” said a department official. “We will write to the State Drug Licensing Authority in Uttarakhand demanding samples of drug constitution. The top court verdict is a shot in the arm for our activities,” the official added.
The department has spotted a total of 29 misleading advertisements of the Patanjali products from the 14 districts in the state, according to a reply received to an RTI filed by Dr Babu K V, a health activist who has been closely following the illegal drug promotion by the company.
“The Supreme Court came down heavily on the continuing violation by Patanjali on Tuesday. In this context, the decision of the state drug control department of Kerala to register 29 cases against the violation of the drug laws by habitual offenders will put an end to this practice,” said Dr Babu.
Divya Pharmacy promoted drugs for heart ailment, blood pressure and liver disease in violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act 1954, which bans advertisements for scheduled drugs for such diseases.
The violation of section 3 of the DMR Act attracts imprisonment which may extend to one year, or fine, or both. A repeat offence shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to five years and with a fine which may extend to Rs 50 lakh.