Yoga guru Ramdev and his aide, Balakrishna, received some relief today in a misleading advertisement case involving Patanjali products, as the Supreme Court decided to close the contempt proceedings against them. However, the court issued a stern warning, cautioning them against violating any future court orders.
A bench comprising Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Sandeep Mehta, in their order, acknowledged the apologies offered by Ramdev and Balakrishna. The court stated, “We accept their apology, but we strictly warn them against any future violations of court orders, as witnessed in this case. We have taken a firm stance, and this must not happen again.”
The court also emphasized that affidavits submitted must be completely truthful. With this warning, the court concluded the contempt proceedings, discharging the notice issued to the contemnors.
The case traces back to the COVID-19 pandemic when Patanjali launched a drug called Coronil in 2021. Ramdev promoted it as the “first evidence-based medicine for COVID-19” and claimed it had WHO certification. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) challenged this, calling it a “blatant lie.” In response, Patanjali Yogpeeth clarified that Ramdev had read out a forwarded WhatsApp message and harbored no ill-will against modern medicine.
In August 2022, the IMA filed a petition against Patanjali after it published an advertisement in newspapers titled “Misconceptions Spread By Allopathy: Save Yourself And The Country From The Misconceptions Spread By Pharma And Medical Industry.” The ad claimed that Patanjali drugs could cure diseases like diabetes, high blood pressure, thyroid disorders, liver cirrhosis, arthritis, and asthma. The IMA accused Patanjali of spreading misinformation and making false claims about the efficacy of its products.
On November 21 last year, the Supreme Court warned Patanjali against making such claims and threatened heavy fines. Patanjali’s counsel then assured the court that they would comply with all laws, particularly those related to advertising and branding.
However, in January of this year, the Supreme Court received an anonymous letter alleging that Patanjali continued to issue misleading advertisements. The court then demanded an explanation from Patanjali as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated. When Patanjali failed to file a timely response, the court ordered Ramdev and Balkrishna to appear in person.
On April 2, the court criticized Ramdev and Balkrishna for their “absolute defiance” in not filing proper affidavits regarding the misleading advertisements. Their initial apologies were rejected by the court, as they had been sent to the media before the court. Subsequently, when Patanjali issued an apology in newspapers, the court questioned whether it matched the size of their full-page product advertisements. Patanjali then published larger apologies in all major newspapers.
