The Supreme Court expressed strong displeasure with Patanjali Ayurved on Tuesday, April 23, questioning the size of the public apology published by the company in newspapers compared to its extensive advertisements.
During the hearing of a contempt case against Patanjali, Balkrishna, and Ramdev for violating an undertaking to refrain from publishing misleading medical ads, the bench led by Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah inquired if the apology was as large as the original advertisements.
Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Patanjali, stated that the apology was published in 67 newspapers at a cost of tens of lakhs. However, Justice Kohli expressed skepticism, suggesting that the full-page advertisements run by the company likely cost a similar amount.
The court directed Ramdev and Balkrishna to issue additional advertisements with an unqualified apology for their actions. The matter has been scheduled for further hearing on April 30.
This development stems from a 2022 plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign by Patanjali against the COVID-19 vaccination drive and modern medicine systems.
