New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday minced no words in criticising Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna in connection with the language used by them in their affidavit while they were physically present before the court, and gave them last opportunity to file fresh affidavits within a week.
The apex court came down heavily on Ramdev and Patanjali’s Managing Director Balakrishna for failing to obey its directives over the company's misleading advertisements. The apex court also asked the central government to explain why it shut its eyes when Patanjali was making misleading claims despite court orders and added that both the central government and state government were "complicit" with Patanjali in their activities.
A bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah told the counsel, representing Ramdev and Balkrishna, that you cannot write anything and get away. The bench, pulling up both Ramdev and Balkrishna for filing an inappropriate affidavit, said the first person standing here should have been here with an apology on their lips and no lawyer should have got up first.
The bench said the contemnors should take the contempt seriously and told the council, representing Patanjali, you violated the solemn undertaking with impunity and “we are not willing to accept this and this is perfunctory!"
The bench said, "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 apex court granted the last opportunity to Ramdev and Balkrishna to file a proper response and schedule the case for further hearing on April 10, and also directed them to appear again on the next date. Baba Ramdev tendered an unconditional apology before the apex court for violating the court's order for misleading advertisements of Patanjali's medicinal products.
The apex court expressed disapproval of the statement in the Patanjali MD's affidavit that the Drugs and Cosmetics (Magic Remedies) Act is archaic. The apex court said that the Act cannot be defied saying it is archaic.
Ramdev's lawyer said his client and Balakrishna are ready to personally apologise in the court. "We want to apologise and are ready for whatever the court says," the yoga guru's lawyer, senior advocate Balbir Singh, told the court with folded hands.
During the hearing, the bench declined to accept the "lip-service" apology offered by Patanjali in connection with the misleading advertisements despite apex court orders against it. The Supreme Court said that Patanjali "owes an apology to the whole nation" for their misleading claims and Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna are in "absolute defiance" of court order.
The apex court sought an explanation from the Uttarakhand government on why no action has been taken against Baba Ramdev and Patanjali for their misleading ads. "State is not discharging its duties", said the bench.
In November last year, the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), cautioned Patanjali Ayurved against making "false" and "misleading" claims in advertisements about its medicines.
