Patanjali Apologizes to Supreme Court: No Disclosure of Such Advertisements; Court Summons Ramdev-Balkrishna
Patanjali, amidst an ongoing case in the Supreme Court regarding its misleading advertisement of Ayurvedic medicine, has now apologized for its mistake. Acharya Balkrishna, the MD of Patanjali Ayurved, has personally sought forgiveness for the deceptive advertisements of the company’s products.
The apology letter also assures that the advertisement will not be broadcasted again, ensuring compliance with the court’s orders. Acharya Balkrishna expressed that the company’s media department was unaware of the Supreme Court’s directives, emphasizing that their intention was to encourage citizens to lead a healthy life by using Patanjali products.
Supreme Court Orders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna to Appear
In the ongoing case regarding the misleading advertisement of Patanjali Ayurved’s medicine, the Supreme Court has directed Swami Ramdev (co-founder of Patanjali) and Patanjali’s MD Acharya Balkrishna to appear in court on April 2nd. Previously, neither the company nor Acharya Balkrishna had responded to the notice, leading to this order being issued.
Now, they are required to appear in court on the specified date. The court had issued a notice during the hearing held on March 19, questioning why action for contempt should not be initiated against them. Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah’s bench is overseeing this case, with the previous hearing having occurred on February 27.
During the hearing on February 27, the court had imposed a ban on the misleading advertisements of Patanjali Ayurved’s medicines. Apart from contempt proceedings, a notice was also issued for explaining the reasons for non-compliance. The court had directed the company not to publish misleading advertisements in the previous year, but the company had reportedly disregarded it.
Case Related to Misleading Advertisements
The Supreme Court heard a case filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on August 17, 2022, alleging misleading advertisements.
The petition highlighted Patanjali’s negative publicity against COVID vaccination and allopathy. It also accused the company of making false claims about the effectiveness of its Ayurvedic medicines in treating various illnesses.
Patanjali’s Advertisements Post Court Orders
Following the court’s orders, Patanjali had released advertisements in print media in December 2023 and January 2024. These ads were cited in the court concerning the case. Additionally, on November 22, 2023, a press conference was held with Patanjali’s CEO Balakrishna and yoga guru Ramdev. During this conference, Patanjali claimed to provide a complete cure for diabetes and asthma in these advertisements.
This press conference occurred just a day after the Supreme Court’s hearing. During the hearing on November 21, 2023, Justice Amanulla stated that Patanjali must immediately halt all misleading advertisements. The court emphasized that any violations would be taken seriously, and fines up to 1 crore rupees could be imposed for each false claim made in advertisements.
Controversies Surrounding Patanjali’s Claims Regarding COVID Medicine
Ramdev Baba claimed that their products, Coronil and Swasari, could manage COVID. Following this assertion, the Ministry of Health issued a warning to the company and immediately halted its promotion.
In 2015, before launching instant noodles, Patanjali failed to obtain a license from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). Consequently, the company faced legal notices for violating food safety regulations.
Later in 2015, the Consumer Stores department deemed the consumption of Patanjali’s juices unsafe and ordered their removal from all stores. Additionally, residents of Haridwar complained about impurities in Patanjali’s ghee.
In 2018, FSSAI issued a notice to Patanjali for altering the manufacturing date of its medicinal product, Giloy Ghanvati. Besides COVID, controversies have frequently surrounded Ramdev Baba’s yoga and Patanjali products, including claims to cure cancer, AIDS, and homosexuality.
