Patanjali advertisements: Ramdev, Balkrishna tender unconditional apology before Supreme Court
Satya Prakash
New Delhi, April 9
Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his close aide Acharya Balkrishna have tendered “unconditional and unqualified apology” before the Supreme Court over certain ‘misleading’ advertisements issued by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd about efficacy of the company’s medicines/products.
In separate affidavits filed in the top court, Ramdev and Balkrishna – co-founders of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd — tendered unqualified apology for breach undertaking recorded by the top court in its November 21, 2023 order and assured that it will not be repeated in future.
Patanjali Ayurved counsel had assured the top court that “henceforth there shall not be any violation of any law(s), especially relating to advertising or branding of products manufactured and marketed by it and, further, that no casual statements claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine will be released to the media in any form”.
Visibly upset by the affidavits filed by Patanjali Ayurved and its founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, the top court had on April 2 given a last opportunity and one more week to them to file fresh affidavits in a contempt case relating to ‘misleading’ advertisements.
A Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah had come down heavily on Ramdev and his close aide for ‘absolute defiance’ and paying lip service in the name of apology.
The Bench – which had also asked the Union of India to submit a fresh affidavit in the main petition filed by Indian Medical Association – will take up the matter on April 10.
While hearing Indian Medical Association’s petition seeking to control the alleged smear campaign and negative advertisements against the COVID-19 vaccination drive and modern medicines, the Bench had noted that prima facie the company has violated the undertaking given to the top court.
The Bench had made it clear that Patanjali Ayurved and its founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna should be ready to face consequences as it found faults with the yoga guru’s affidavit. “Sometimes things should reach a logical conclusion,” it said, adding the advertisements issued by Patanjali were in the “teeth of law of the land.”
“I hereby tender my unconditional apology in regard to the issue of advertisements which occurred after the statement of counsel of respondent no. 5 (Patanjali) which was recorded in the order dated November 21, 2023, which I am informed has the force of an injunction,” Ramdev said in his fresh affidavit.
“I sincerely regret this lapse and I wish to assure the court that the same will not be repeated,” he said, adding, “I hereby tender an unconditional and unqualified apology for the breach of the statement recorded in para 3 of the order of this court dated November 21, 2023”, the Yog guri said, adding, the statement shall be complied with in letter and spirit and no such similar advertisements shall be issued.
He also tendered unconditional apology for the press conference held on November 22 last year and undertook not to make any public statements which may amount to breach of the undertaking given before the court.
“I regret this lapse and assure that the same will not be repeated again in future,” he said, adding, “I seek pardon for the aforesaid breach of the statement. I undertake to always uphold the majesty of law and majesty of justice”.
Balkrishna also tendered an unconditional apology for the breach of the statement recorded in the court’s November 21, 2023 order. “I sincerely regret the issue of advertisements from respondent no. 5 (Patanjali) which is an infraction of the order dated November 21, 2023. I tender my unconditional and unqualified apology in this regard, on my own behalf and that of respondent no 5,” Balkrishna said, adding he never had intention to violate orders of this court and that no such lapse will occur in future.
