Lashing out at Patanjali Ayurveda, the Supreme Court on Tuesday issued a contempt notice to the company and founder Acharya Balakrishnan asking them why they should not face such proceedings for violating the court’s order about its products and their medicinal effect.
A bench of justices Hima Kohli and A Amanullah heard the matter and issued a notice to Patanjali Ayurved and its managing director. The company and Acharya Balakrishnan have been granted a three-week period to respond to the contempt notice.
The top court also came down on the Central government and asked why they were sitting with their eyes closed without taking action against Patanjali.
“The entire country is taken for a ride. You wait for two years when the Acts says this (advertisements) is prohibited,” the bench asked.
In November 2023, the court warned Patanjali if their advertisement made such claims, they will be fined Rs 1 crore, however, despite the warnings the ayurvedic company released advertisements of such nature.
“You had the courage and guts to come up with this advertisement after the order of this Court! And then you come up with this advertisement. Permanent relief, what do you mean by permanent relief? Is it a cure?…we are going to pass a very, very strict order. You are tempting the Court.” Live Law quoted the bench as saying.
The apex court had issued notices to the Health Ministry, Ayush Ministry and Patanjali Ayurved in August 2022 in the matter.
The Supreme Court earlier restrained Patanjali from advertising and marketing the products meant to cure ailments-disorders till further orders.
In today’s order as well, the bench asked the government to take action against the Ayurvedic company and also cautioned Patanjali Ayurved and its officers from making any statements adverse to any system of medicine in the media.
On November 21 last year, the counsel representing the company had assured the apex court that henceforth there shall not be any violation of law, especially relating to advertising or branding of products, and no casual statements claiming the medicinal efficacy of Patanjali products or against any system of medicine will be released to the media in any form.
The apex court had also warned Baba Ramdev’s company against making “false” and “misleading” claims in advertisements about its medicines as a cure for several diseases.
The top court is hearing a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging that Patanjali’s advertisements made false claims about curing certain diseases.
The petition also alleged a smear campaign by Ramdev against the Covid-19 vaccination drive and modern medicines during the pandemic.
(With PTI inputs)
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