Patanjali advertisements: SC comes down hard on Ramdev, Acharya Balkrishna for 'absolute defiance'
Requesting court to note my presence and unconditional apology: Ramdev's counsel tells SC
New Delhi, Apr 2: The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down hard on yoga guru Ramdev and managing director of Patanjali Ayurved Acharya Balkrishna for their “absolute defiance” in not filing proper affidavits of compliance in the misleading advertisement case and breaking "every barrier".
It also disapproved of the Patanjali MD's statement that the Drugs and Cosmetics (Magic Remedies) Act is “archaic”.
“Not just the Supreme Court, every order passed by the courts across this country has to be respected ... this is absolute defiance,” a bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah said.
“You have to abide by undertaking given to court and you have broken every barrier,” the bench told Ramdev and the Patanjali MD, who were present in person.
The top court wondered as to why the Centre “chose to keep its eyes shut when Patanjali was going to town saying there were no remedy for Covid in allopathy”.
Senior advocate Balbir Singh, appearing for Ramdev, urged the court to take note of the presence of the yoga guru and his unconditional apology.
What has happened should not have happened, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta told the court and offered to help the counsel for parties to find a solution to the whole issue.
“You should have made sure affidavit is filed in pursuance of your solemn undertakings,” Justice Kohli told the counsel for Balkrishna.
“Sometimes things should reach logical conclusion,” the bench said at the outset of the proceedings when the counsel for Patanjali and others sought some more time for filing the affidavits of compliance.
The bench granted last opportunity to Ramdev and Balkrishna to file their affidavits in the matter in one week.
While posting the matter for further hearing on April 10, the bench directed that both of them shall remain present before it on the next date.
On March 19, the apex court had directed Ramdev and Balkrishna to appear before it after taking exception to the company's failure to respond to the notice issued in the case relating to advertisements of the firm's products and their medicinal efficacy.
The top court had said it deemed it appropriate to issue a show cause notice to Ramdev as the advertisements issued by Patanjali, which were in the teeth of the undertaking given to the court on November 21, 2023, reflect an endorsement by him.
"Both are present?" the bench asked on Tuesday. The counsel appearing for Ramdev said both of them are in the court.
The bench observed that advertisements issued by Patanjali are in the "teeth of law" of the land.
Last month, Balkrishna had tendered an unqualified apology to the apex court for advertising the herbal products of the firm claiming their medicinal efficacy in treating several serious diseases and running down other systems of medicine.
Patanjali Ayurved Ltd had assured the top court on November 21, 2023 that it will not violate any law, especially the laws relating to advertising or branding of products.
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People taught lesson to those who were talking about changing Constitution: Pawar
Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar (Maharashtra) (PTI): NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Friday said the country taught a lesson to those who were talking about changing the Constitution.
He was speaking at the unveiling of the Urdu translation of English book "Padmavibhushan Sharad Pawar - The great Enigma" by Sheshrao Chavan here.
The political situation in the country should change, Pawar said, adding, "We should think where we are heading. We have to see that the country does not fall in the wrong hands."
Four months ago (during the Lok Sabha election campaign), Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his party colleagues made statements that were not in national interest, the NCP (SP) chief said, referring to BJP leader Ananthkumar Hegde's controversial remark that they needed 400-plus seats to amend the Constitution.
"It is a good thing that the people taught a lesson to those who talked about changing the Constitution," Pawar said.
He also hit back at Union minister Amit Shah who recently called him "ringleader of corrupt people".
"A week ago, Amit Shah said that Sharad Pawar is the ringleader of all the corrupt people in the country. Earlier, when he was in Gujarat, he used the law in the wrong manner. For that the Supreme Court externed him from Gujarat. The one who was externed by the Supreme Court is holding charge of the Union Home Ministry now," Pawar said.
Shah was discharged in the Sohrabuddin Shaikh fake encounter case in 2014.
