Supreme Court warns Patanjali for breaking promises on product claims

The Supreme Court has taken a stern stance against Patanjali Ayurved, the company founded by yoga guru Ramdev, for allegedly violating the undertaking it gave in court regarding its product claims and advertisements. Justices Hima Kohli and A Amanullah, constituting the bench, issued a notice to Patanjali Ayurved and its managing director, seeking an explanation on why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them.

The bench expressed concern over the prima facie violation of the undertaking by Patanjali Ayurved and emphasized the need for accountability. The court’s move comes as a response to the company’s alleged breach of promises made in court about its products and statements asserting their medicinal efficacy.

In addition to the contempt notice, the bench warned Patanjali Ayurved and its officers against making any adverse statements about any system of medicine in the media, be it print or electronic. This caution aligns with the undertaking provided by the company in a previous court appearance. “You have the guts to put out these ads after our orders! You are tempting the court!” SC tells Baba Ramdev.

On November 21 of the preceding year, Patanjali Ayurved’s legal representation assured the Supreme Court that there would be no further violations of law, particularly concerning the advertising or branding of products. The company pledged to refrain from making casual statements claiming medicinal efficacy of Patanjali products or disparaging any system of medicine in the media.

The apex court had previously cautioned the herbal products company against disseminating “false” and “misleading” claims in advertisements related to the curative properties of its medicines for various diseases.

The Supreme Court is currently addressing a plea from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) accusing Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved of conducting a smear campaign against the vaccination drive and modern medicines. The court’s scrutiny of Patanjali’s conduct follows concerns raised by the medical community about the impact of false claims on public health initiatives.