New Delhi:

Patanjali Ayurved co-founder Baba Ramdev; company’s top executive Acharya Balakrishna; The center was reprimanded by the Supreme Court during a hearing on Tuesday over misleading advertisements, including those that disparaged modern medicine and doctors.

Ramdev and Balakrishna were accused of “absolute contempt” after they submitted incorrect versions of the affidavits required by the court, while the Center was asked why Western medicines could not provide protection against COVID-19 despite Patanjali’s claims Virus protection, but the center “chooses to close its eyes.”

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah also questioned the AYUSH ministry as to why no action was taken against Patanjali after he released a “shocking” advertisement that disparaged contemporary medicine.

“We have questions about AYUSH… COVID-19 happened in 2022 and you (Centre) said that these (Ayurvedic medicines) are at best supplementary to the main medicines (vaccines)… but this has not Publicly… “You have done nothing to let people know this. This is a critical period,” Judge Colley said sternly.

Read | ‘Ready for action’: Ramdev moves to court in misleading advertising case

This is the second time in three months that the Center has been reprimanded; in February this year, the Supreme Court said “the government is sitting with its eyes closed” and demanded immediate action against “false” and “misleading” advertisements. “This is extremely unfortunate…” the court said at the time.

The court then also urged the Center to find a remedy on the issue of misleading medical advertisements.

The court today also took a swipe at the causation of the affidavit filed last month by Ramdev and Balakrishna offering an unconditional apology for the ad. An angry court called the affidavit “indefensible” and a “scam” and even suggested that Patanjali Ayurvede might be guilty of perjury.

Read | Patanjali apologizes after court summons Ramdev in advertising case

“You should make sure that the solemn commitment is true both in letter and spirit. We can also say we are ‘sorry’…not accept it (apology)…it is more lip service, ” the court said.

The court was outraged that Patanjali last year ostensibly continued to run ads that were ruled misleading. Claims that the company’s media arm was unaware of the court order were dismissed.

“…every order passed by courts across the country must be respected. This is absolute contempt,” Justice Seema Kohli said after Patanjali Ayurved’s lawyer apologized with folded hands .

“You have to abide by every promise made to the court… you have broken every barrier,” the court told Ramdev and Balakrishna, who were ordered to appear, with visible displeasure.

Reacting to the court’s strong words, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta admitted that “what happened should not have happened”. “It appears that the affidavit should have been there… but it did not appear,” he told the court, but stressed that the Center could not take sides.

Read | Yoga guru Ramdev summoned by court over misleading ads of Patanjali

“My suggestion is that… if your Lordships allow it… then I can sit with (Patanjali’s) lawyers and (decide) what can be done,” he continued, to which the court said, “We will decide that. “

Ramdev and Balakrishna were given a “last chance” to file their affidavits in a proper manner within a week. They must also appear when the court next hears the case on April 10.

The Supreme Court is hearing a contempt case against Patanjali Ayurved for publishing advertisements making false claims about its products and their medical benefits.

On February 27, the court directed Patanjali to stop all electronic and print advertisements providing misleading information with immediate effect.

Read | Court warns Ramdev, Patanjali to stop ‘misleading’ ads

The case began last year when the Indian Medical Association filed a petition accusing Baba Ramdev of running a smear campaign against the coronavirus vaccination campaign and modern medicine.

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