The Supreme Court has come down heavily on Patanjali Ayurved and passed an interim order banning advertisements of Patanjali Ayurved’s medicines. It also issued notice to the company and its MD Acharya Balkrishna to show cause why they should not be acted against for contempt.
The Apex Court said the advertisements regarding medicinal cures was made despite making an assurance last year to the Court that no such statements would be made.
A bench comprising Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah said the country has been fooled and being taken for a ride by the misleading claims of Patanjali medicines curing certain diseases despite having no evidence for the same.
IMA had filed a writ petition raising concerns over “continuous, systematic, and unabated spread of misinformation regarding allopathy and the modern system of medicine”. The petition stated that Patanjali’s misleading advertisements disparage allopathy and make false claims about curing certain diseases.
The IMA had accused Patanjali of spreading false rumours about Covid-19 vaccines and contributing to vaccine hesitancy. Baba Ramdev’s alleged mockery and derision of citizens searching for oxygen cylinders during the second wave were also cited in the petition.
The petition emphasized that despite the Ministry of AYUSH signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), Patanjali has continued its alleged disregard for the law, violating the mandates.
As per the order, Patanjali cannot advertise or market any of their medicinal products which they claim would treat ailments specified in Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act.
The Court found Patanjali’s founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna should be penalised for flouting previous orders of the Court by continuing to propagate false and misleading claims regarding their products’ ability to cure diseases.
In its previous order, the top court had directed Patanjali Ayurved to not publish false advertisements in the future, and avoid making such claims to the media, as ultimately a solution was needed regarding misleading medical advertisements.
The top court had questioned Ramdev on his attempt to discredit allopathy and its practicing doctors during the coronavirus pandemic.The IMA initiated multiple criminal proceedings against the Patanjali ambassador.