Misleading ads: Supreme Court takes exception to IMA chief’s media interview; warns of “serious consequences”

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, April 30

Taking strong exception to Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Dr RV Asokan’s alleged comments against it in a media interview, the Supreme Court on Tuesday warned him of “serious consequences”.

“Bring it on record. This will be more serious than what has been happening till now. Be prepared for more serious consequences,” a Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah told senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi after he highlighted Dr Asokan’s comments.

Rohatgi, who represented Patanjali Ayurved co-founders Swami Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, said, “I have come across a very disturbing interview yesterday by the IMA President saying why the court is pointing fingers at us. This is direct interference in the functioning of the court… He says these are unfortunate, vague comments by the Supreme Court and that it does not behove the Supreme Court.”

While hearing IMA’s 2022 petition against alleged smear campaign and negative advertisements by Patanjali Ayurved against the Covid vaccination drive and modern medicines, the Bench had on April 23 turned the heat on IMA for its alleged unethical conduct over recommending overpriced drugs and line of treatment “for valuable consideration”.

Disapproving of the IMA president’s comments, it told the IMA counsel on Tuesday, “You have not covered yourself with glory. You will have to explain… How would you decide in what way we should be moving ahead in our proceedings.”

Dr Asokan had reportedly said it was “unfortunate” that the top court criticised the IMA and the practices of private doctors and that the “vague” and “generalised statements” have demoralised private doctors.

“You can say anything but still a majority of doctors are conscientious… practicing according to ethics and principles. It does not behove the Supreme Court to take a broadside against the medical profession of the country which after all sacrificed so many lives for the Covid war,” Dr Asokan had said.

“We sincerely believe they (Supreme Court) need to look at what was the material before them. They (Supreme Court) perhaps did not consider that this was not the issue that was before them in the court… It does not behove the Supreme Court to take a broadside against the medical profession of the country which after all sacrificed so many lives for the Covid war,” the IMA president was quoted as having said.