Patanjali apology should not have to be seen through microscope, says Supreme Court

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked to see copies of the public apology issued by Patanjali Ayurved in newspapers on Monday in the contempt case against it for misleading advertisements, reported Live Law.

Following the court’s orders on April 16, Patanjali Ayurved had apologised for the “mistake of publishing advertisements and holding a press conference” even after it assured the court that it would cease to promote products with dubious claims.

The court said that the apology must be as conspicuous as the company’s advertisements.

“Cut the actual newspaper clippings and keep them handy,” the bench verbally remarked. “For you to photocopy by enlarging, it may not impress us. We want to see the actual size of the ad. When you issue an apology, it does not mean that we have to see it through a microscope.”

When asked if the apology was published in the same size as the company’s advertisements, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi informed the division bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah that publishing the apology in 67 newspapers has cost the company “tens of lakhs”.

This is the stamp-size apology published by Patanajali in several leading publication. One would barely notice. SC should act on it and make them publish a full page apology. pic.twitter.com/iXQGr42Wlk— Piyush Rai...

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