New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought personal presence of Baba Ramdev in court for failing to file a response to show cause notice in contempt proceedings against him over misleading advertisements of Patanjali Ayurved, which claimed permanent cure for several diseases. The apex court said it is only a notice to show cause and it is nothing personal.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Patanjali, submitted before a bench comprising justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah that no reason is being given why his client is being called, although nothing has changed since the last court hearing in February. Rohatgi said the apex court is not being fair in summoning Ramdev even though he holds no position in Patanjali.
"You were not responding to the notice. Press conference was held….How can you be in the teeth of our orders?," the bench told the counsel.
The apex court said that Rohatgi can raise all contentions when the case is heard next after two weeks. The bench made it clear that it doesn't have to explain why Ramdev is being summoned now. Rohatgi contended that the violation of the law is not contempt and added whatever court is relying on should be recorded.
“This is not fair. There is a procedure. I am allowed to make submissions. Please put that on record," the counsel said. The apex court said there is no question of modification of the order. Rohatgi asked how Ramdev came into the picture.
The bench asked Rohatgi to raise all contentions when the case is heard on the next date of hearing. The bench said that it doesn't have to explain why Ramdev is being summoned now.
Rohatgi said if the court feels there is further aggravation by virtue of something or the other and the bench has expressed in open court it should come into the order. “So that I can tell my client, this is what the court said. What do you have to say”, said Rohatgi.
Justice Amanullah said the order is recorded because on the last occasion there was material and after the order was passed there was a press conference and you were not responding. “After one week of the order of the court, a press conference was held raising objections…”, said the bench.
Rohatgi said that was months ago. The bench said yes it was months ago. Rohatgi said the last order was in February not in November, 2023. Justice Kohli said it is only a notice to show cause and it is nothing personal and let us take it on the next date. Indian Medical Association sought action against Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved for defaming allopathy medicine.
On February 27, 2024, the Supreme Court had pulled up Centre for its inaction against Patanjali's "misleading and false" advertisements regarding curing various diseases and restrained Patanjali from publishing advertisements for products claiming to cure diseases for now. The court had then said the entire country was being taken for a ride, while issuing a show cause contempt notice to the company and its MD Acharya Balkrishna.
In November, 2023, the apex court had warned Patanjali Ayurved against making "false" and "misleading" claims in advertisements regarding cure by its products for several diseases.
At the end of the hearing, Rohatgi insisted that there should be some reason why. Justice Amanullah said we have indicated it in the order, read it when it is uploaded and not going to repeat it. Rohatgi said he has heard the order. Justice Amanullah replied no interference in the order is needed and called out the next case for hearing. Rohatgi stressed that this is not fair and lordships is referring to some article which has appeared, “then please put it in the order that you saw something”.
