‘Was Patanjali apology the same size as ads?’: Supreme Court asks Ramdev, Balkrishna

Patanjali ad case: On April 22, Patanjali Ayurved published advertisements in some newspapers expressing apology for ‘misleading ads’.

Patanjali ads case: The Supreme Court on Tuesday, April 23, came down heavily on Patanjali Ayurved and asked its managing director Balkrishna and co-founder yoga guru Ramdev if the public apology published by them in newspapers on Monday was as big as their advertisements.

Patanjali ads case: A hoarding with an image of Baba Ramdev inside a Patanjali store in Ahmedabad. The Supreme Court was considering a contempt case against Patanjali Ayurved, Balkrishna and Ramdev for publishing misleading medical advertisements.(Reuters)

A bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah was considering the contempt case against Patanjali Ayurved, Balkrishna and Ramdev for publishing misleading medical advertisements in violation of an undertaking given to the Supreme Court in November last year.

On April 22, Patanjali Ayurved published advertisements in some newspapers expressing apology for the “mistake of publishing advertisements and holding a press conference even after our advocates made a statement in the apex court”. Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Patanjali, informed the bench about the advertisements. Both Ramdev and Balkrishna were personally present in the court.

"Is the apology the same size as your advertisements?," Live Law quoted Justice Kohli as saying. "It costs tens of lakhs," replied Rohatgi adding that the apology was published in 67 newspapers. "Does it cost the same tens of lakhs of rupees for the full-page advertisements you published? We are wondering", Justice Kohli asked.

The counsel for Ramdev and Balkrishna told the bench that additional advertisements shall be issued by them tendering an unqualified apology for the lapses on their part.

The bench has posted the matter for hearing on April 30.

SC slammed warned Ramdev, Balkrishna

On April 16, the apex court had warned Ramdev and Balkrishna against any attempt to "degrade allopathy" and permitted them to tender a "public apology and show contrition" within a week in the contempt proceedings in the misleading advertisements case against Patanjali Ayurved Ltd.

The court, however, had made it clear that it was not letting them "off the hook" yet.

The apex court is hearing a plea filed in 2022 by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine.