Supreme Court reprimands Ramdev again, rejects apology: “We Are Not Blind,” Patanjali

The court severely criticized the Uttarakhand licensing authority for not taking action against Patanjali for an extended period and expressed dissatisfaction with the Centre’s response. The bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice A. Amanullah dismissed the apologies from Ramdev and Balkrishna as insincere and deliberate violations of undertaking. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Patanjali founders, admitted to a “lapse” in tendering the apologies. However, the court emphasized that an apology was not enough and that consequences for violating the court’s order should be faced.

The court stressed the larger implications of the company’s conduct and indicated that a message needed to be sent to the society at large regarding the violation of the law. The court then turned its attention to the Uttarakhand government, questioning why licensing inspectors had not taken action and demanding the immediate suspension of three officers. It criticized the licensing authority for letting off the company with a warning, stating that the 1954 Act does not provide for warnings or compounding of offenses. The court accused the authority of being “in cahoots with the contemnors” and chastised it for failing to act and taking the matter lightly.

It also admonished the state counsel and implied collusion with Patanjali, stating that the authority had been “playing with people’s lives”. The court also criticized Ramdev and Balkrishna for attempting to avoid appearing in court and noted the “deep slumber” of the state licensing authority. It requested that all district ayurvedic and unani officers from 2018 onwards provide details of actions taken against the advertisements. The court announced it would issue orders regarding Ramdev and Balkrishna on April 16.

In conclusion, the court emphasized the need for genuine actions to be taken by all involved parties and expressed concern for the impact on the individuals who had consumed the medicines advertised to cure incurable diseases.