New Delhi: Supreme Court Dismisses Patanjali's "Unconditional Apology" in Misleading Advertisements Case

NEW DELHI: In a recent development, the Supreme Court has delivered a scathing rebuke to Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, the founders of Patanjali, over misleading advertisements for the company's medicinal products. The bench, comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, dismissed Patanjali's "unconditional apology," condemning their actions as "wilful, deliberate, and repeated violations" of court orders.

Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing the Patanjali founders, attempted to mitigate the situation by offering apologies and citing human fallibility. However, the bench firmly rejected this notion, asserting that such violations cannot be excused lightly. "We are not blinded...We don't want to be generous in this case," the bench remarked.

During the hearing, the court expressed dissatisfaction with the affidavits submitted by Patanjali and its MD, Acharya Balkrishna, and questioned the authenticity of their apology. The bench criticized Patanjali for prioritizing public relations over judicial procedures by releasing their apology to the media before submitting it to the court.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court reprimanded Baba Ramdev for his attempt to evade court appearance by providing a backdated ticket, describing the incident as "perjury." The bench also admonished the Uttarakhand government for granting licenses to Patanjali products without adequate scrutiny.

Addressing the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority, the court warned against using the term "bonafide" to justify negligence and pledged to hold responsible those involved in the oversight. The bench emphasized that such actions undermine the integrity of the judiciary and stated that the Supreme Court has become a "mockery" due to complacency and collusion with Patanjali.

In response, Uttarakhand Joint Director Mithilesh Kumar assured the court of taking appropriate action, while the next hearing in the case is scheduled for April 16. The Supreme Court has directed Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna to appear before it, signaling a stringent stance against corporate non-compliance and administrative leniency.

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