Patanjali Ayurved Case: Supreme Court Criticizes Baba Ramdev’s Actions in Contempt Hearing

Patanjali Ayurved Case: Supreme Court Raps Baba Ramdev in Contempt Case Over Misleading Advertisements

The Supreme Court delivered a stern rebuke to Baba Ramdev on Tuesday during the hearing of the contempt case against Patanjali Ayurved regarding the company’s misleading advertisements for its medicinal products. Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, constituting a two-judge bench, criticized Ramdev for his “irresponsible behavior” and cautioned him that the law applies equally to everyone. The court granted Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, both present in court, a week to issue a public apology, with the next hearing scheduled for April 23.

Ramdev acknowledged their mistakes, offering an “unconditional apology” and pledging to be more careful in the future. However, the bench expressed skepticism, stating that their actions were not in line with their previous undertakings and court orders. The judges emphasized that the repeated violations were unacceptable and indicated that they were considering whether to accept the apology.

Also read: Patanjali Contempt Case: Supreme Court Refuses Apology from Baba Ramdev, MD

Justice Amanullah questioned the sincerity of the apology, remarking that it did not seem genuine. This sentiment echoed the Supreme Court’s dismissal of Ramdev and Balkrishna’s previous “unconditional apology” on April 10, where the court deemed their actions as “wilful, deliberate, and repeated violations” of its orders.

The contempt petition against Patanjali Ayurved was filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). During the April 10 hearing, the bench criticized Patanjali for not taking the contempt proceedings seriously and expressed dissatisfaction with the contents of the affidavit submitted. Additionally, the court reprimanded the Uttarakhand government for issuing licenses for Patanjali products, questioning the authority’s decision-making and asserting that they would not tolerate any leniency.

In summary, the Supreme Court’s message to Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved was clear: compliance with court orders is non-negotiable, and the consequences for disregarding them will be severe.