Supreme Court gives ‘last chance’ to Patanjali to show compliance in misleading advertisements case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted Patanjali Ayurved’s Managing Director Balkrishna and co-founder, yoga guru Ramdev, a last opportunity to file affidavits of compliance in the contempt proceedings initiated against the company for its “misleading advertisements”, PTI reported.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah also criticised the company for the affidavit submitted by Balkrishna on March 20, apologising for releasing the advertisements and said that it was a “gross violation of the undertaking given to the top court”, Bar and Bench reported.

On March 20, Balkrishna had tendered an “unqualified apology” and said that he had the highest regard for the rule of law, adding that Patanjali Ayurved would ensure it did not issue any such advertisements in the future.

He also said that the company’s media wing was not aware of the Supreme Court’s order halting the broadcast of such advertisements, Bar and Bench reported.

The petitioner in the case, the Indian Medical Association, alleged that Patanjali Ayurved has carried out a “smear campaign” against modern medicine and the Covid-19 vaccination drive.

The apology came a day after the top court ordered Balkrishna and Ramdev, to appear before it in person. The court passed the order after the yoga guru failed to respond to a show cause notice in contempt proceedings initiated against his company.

The bench had asked the...

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