Ramdev, Patanjali Ads Case: Court Questions Doctors’ Group Following Patanjali’s Complaint

The petitioner in the case was the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which came under scrutiny from Justice Hima Kohli and Justice A Amanullah for an interview conducted by its president, RV Asokan, in which he commented on the case. The bench questioned the IMA’s actions and criticized Asokan’s remarks. The IMA’s senior advocate explained that they had praised the court but Asokan made a mistake by falling into a leading question. The court expressed disappointment in the IMA’s response and pointed out the damage caused by Asokan’s actions.

The IMA requested more time, and its advocate mentioned that Asokan regretted his actions. The court emphasized that the matter was proceeding in a certain manner and that its views applied to the IMA as well. The court mentioned Balkrishna’s approach to the court over Asokan’s interview, stating that his statements interfered with the court’s proceedings. This development followed the court’s criticism of Ramdev and Balkrishna for misleading advertisements, leading to the rejection of their apologies.

The IMA had raised concerns about Patanjali’s advertisements, alleging misinformation and false claims about curing certain diseases. The court’s rebuke of Ramdev and Balkrishna came after their misleading ads, which claimed that Patanjali products could cure health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. The court rejected multiple apologies from the two and emphasized their statements in the media. Ramdev and Balkrishna subsequently published prominent apologies in newspapers as per the court’s orders.

The IMA had flagged Patanjali’s advertisements for projecting allopathy and doctors in a negative light, alongside efforts to spread misinformation about the efficacy of Patanjali products in curing certain diseases.