Misleading advertisements: Appear in court on April 2, Supreme Court directs yoga guru Ramdev

Tribune News Service

Satya Prakash

New Delhi, March 19

Taking strong exception to Patanjali Ayurved’s failure to respond to a contempt notice in a case relating to the company’s advertisements, the Supreme Court on Tuesday directed its co-founder and yoga guru Ramdev and managing director Acharya Balkrishna to appear before it on April 2.

A Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah said it deemed it appropriate to issue a show cause notice to Ramdev as the advertisements issued by Patanjali, which were in the teeth of the undertaking given to the court on November 21, 2023, reflected an endorsement by him.

The Bench noted that Patanjali and Balkrishna had not filed replies to earlier notices asking them to show cause as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for “prima facie” violating the undertaking given to the top court. “The respondent No. 6 (Acharya Balkrishna) shall remain present on the next date of hearing along with the proposed contemnor — Baba Ramdev,” it said, posting the matter for further hearing on April 2.

While hearing Indian Medical Association’s petition seeking to control the alleged smear campaign and negative advertisements against the Covid vaccination drive and modern medicines, the Bench had earlier noted that prima facie the company had violated the undertaking given to the top court. The IMA was represented by senior advocate PS Patwalia.

As senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Patanjali and Balkrishna, said he had had some discussions with his client on the issue and it came to know that no replies had been filed, the Bench said, “We had taken it very seriously. Not filing it means there will be orders and consequences will follow.”

Noting that it didn’t want to sound as if it was targeting him, the Bench said, “…but on the same day we passed an order here and at 9:30 pm, it (advertisement) was coming on Aaj Tak. Every time you show the court that... look here I am ahead of you. How do you explain this? You are tempting us… I am telling you, we are not going to be lacking whatever message goes, whatever it takes we are not bothered,” Justice Amanullah said.

Explain disregard for court orders

We had taken it very seriously. Not filing it (reply to contempt notice) means there will be consequences… Every time you show the court that look here I am ahead of you. How do you explain this? — SC Bench

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