Publish apology from own funds: SC to IMA chief in Patanjali case

New Delhi, August 6

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked Indian Medical Association (IMA) president RV Asokan whether his unconditional apology to the apex court over his ‘damaging’ statements in an interview was published in all those newspapers that carried his interview.

Next hearing on August 27

• The SC is hearing a plea filed in 2022 by the IMA, alleging a smear campaign by Patanjali against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine.
• On Tuesday, the court observed that the apology needs to be published in the newspapers by Asokan personally and not from the funds of the IMA.
• The Bench has posted the matter for further hearing on August 27.

During an interview, where he had answered queries about Patanjali Ayurved Limited’s ‘misleading advertisements’ case, Asokan had said that it was “unfortunate” that the Supreme Court criticised the association and also some of the practices of private doctors.

The court observed that the apology needs to be published in the newspapers by Asokan personally and not from the funds of the IMA.

It is hearing a plea filed in 2022 by the IMA alleging a smear campaign by Patanjali against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine.

On July 9, Asokan had told the apex court that his unconditional apology to the court was published in various publications.

The IMA’s counsel had said that Asokan’s unconditional apology was published in the association’s monthly publication, on the IMA website, as also by the PTI.

During the hearing on Tuesday, a Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Sandeep Mehta told the IMA’s counsel that the apology should have been published in all those newspapers where Asokan’s interview was carried.

“Was it published in all those newspapers where your interview was published?” the Bench asked, adding that the IMA president was inviting trouble.

Senior advocate PS Patwalia, appearing for the IMA, told the Bench that Asokan would take appropriate steps to purge himself of the contempt.

The Bench has posted the matter for further hearing on August 27.

Asokan’s was responding to a query about the Supreme Court’s observations during a hearing on April 23, when it had said that while it was pointing one finger at Patanjali, the remaining four fingers were pointed towards IMA.

During the hearing on May 14, the Bench had posed some tough questions to Asokan over his “damaging” statements against the court in the interview and said, “You cannot sit on a couch giving an interview to the press and lampooning the court.”

The court had then made it clear that it will not accept his affidavit tendering apology at that stage. — PTI