SC calls Ramdev apology 'lip service', warns him of perjury

Patanjali Ayurved co-founder Baba Ramdev and Managing Director Balakrishna on Tuesday drew Supreme Court ire for violating directives on misleading advertisements issued to promote the company’s medicinal products. Directing Ramdev to be present at the next hearing on April 10, the apex court said the apology Patanjali had tendered earlier this year in the matter was “more of a lip service”, adding that Ramdev should “be ready for action”. The court also wondered why the Union of India “chose to keep its eyes shut” in the matter.

“We are not happy with your apology,” the two-judge bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah told Ramdev, and stated: “You should have made sure that the solemn undertaking should have been in letter and spirit. We can also say that we are sorry for not accepting it. Your apology is not persuading this court. It is more of a lip service.”

The court felt Patanjali “owes an apology to the whole nation” for their misleading claims. “You have broken every barrier. Now you say that you are sorry,” the two-member bench noted.

“How can you be in teeth of our orders? We had our hands tied earlier but not now,” the court had told the counsel who appeared for Patanjali Ayurved. The strict stance of the Supreme Court saw Ramdev’s lawyer respond with folded hands, saying the yoga guru and his aide Balakrishna were willing to personally apologise. “We want to apologise and are ready for whatever the court says,” said the lawyer.

Commenting on the Centre’s attitude in the matter, the Supreme Court said: “Wondering why the Union chose to keep its eyes shut when Patanjali was going to town saying there was no remedies for Covid in allopathy.”

In November 2023, the Supreme Court warned Patanjali Ayurved against “false” and “misleading” claims in advertisements of its medicinal products, in the wake of a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). Then, on February 27, the court directed Patanjali to immediately stop all commercials of the company’s medicinal products, in print as well as electronic media.

The IMA petition highlighted how several advertisements of Patanjali medicinal products allegedly depict the practice of allopathy and allopathic doctors in a negative manner. According to the Patanjali commercials, practitioners of medicine were dying despite using modern medicines, the IMA advocate had stated in court.