At the hearing of the deceptive advertisement case against Patanjali Ayurved and its founders Ramdev and Balakrishna, the Supreme Court stated today that yoga teacher Ramdev has “a lot of influence” and must use it “in the right way.”
Senior Advocate Balbir Singh informed the bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Amanullah at the beginning of today’s proceedings that Patanjali has stopped selling the disputed goods and had written to TV channels where its advertisements were still airing. Patanjali was ordered by the court to provide an affidavit regarding the stock levels of certain goods. The appeal of Ramdev and Balakrishna to not appear in court for the time being was also granted by the court.
“Baba Ramdev has a lot of influence, use it in the right way,” the court stated. In response to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s statement that Ramdev has made significant contributions to yoga, Justice Hima Kohli stated, “What he has done for yoga is good, but Patanjali products is another matter.”
Regarding Ramdev and Balkrishna’s contempt case, the court postponed making any decisions.
On July 9, the case will be heard again. The court further stated that this issue is about making sure the general public is informed. “Public is cognisant, if they have choices, they make well-informed choices,” it stated.
It is related to the Indian Medical Association’s lawsuit against Patanjali and its founders for deceptive advertisements suggesting that their products may treat ailments like diabetes and high blood pressure. The Supreme Court forewarned Patanjali last year after hearing the case. The court severely reprimanded the Patanjali promoters and issued a contempt notice when the advertisements continued. It disapproved of several other beliefs, claiming they were “more of a lip service” and “not heartfelt”. In response to criticism, Patanjali apologized in print media. The court was not persuaded by this and inquired whether the apology’s scope was comparable to full-page product advertisements. New apologies from Ramdev and Balakrishna were then widely publicized in publications.