Misleading Ads: Patanjali Tells SC It Stopped Sale Of 14 Products, IMA President Shows Publicity Of Apology

Patanjali informed the court today that they have withdrawn all misleading advertisements and have taken necessary steps to ensure that the same are also taken down from social media.

Supreme Court has not yet accepted apology by  Baba Ramdev, and Patanjali Ayurveda MD and they are still "proposed contemnors."

The Supreme Court on Tuesday resumed hearing the contempt of court case against Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurveda MD Balakrishna in the misleading advertisements case against them by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The court also heard the IMA president's response to the contempt notice issued to him over his remarks in the media following a rebuke by the top court while hearing the Patanjali case.

At the outset the counsel appearing for Patanjali informed the court today that they have withdrawn all misleading advertisements and have taken necessary steps to ensure that the same are also taken down from social media.

Patanjali Ayurved Ltd on Tuesday informed the top court that it has stopped the sale of the 14 products whose manufacturing licences were suspended by the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority in April following an order of the court.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta presided over the case and were informed that Patanjali has issued instructions to all its franchise stores to withdraw these products.

the counsel appearing for Patanjali further said that media platforms have also been instructed to withdraw advertisements of these 14 products.

The bench heard the counsel and directed Patanjali Ayurved to file an affidavit within two weeks pertaining to the requests made to social media intermediaries for the removal of misleading advertisements and compliance by them on the same.

IMA President R V Asokan told the Supreme Court that he had published and widely advertised his unconditional apology to the apex court over his statements in an interview.

The IMA's counsel informed the top court of the news agencies and newspapers that carried him apology, He further said that the IMA website also carries and the same has been published in the IMA's monthly publication.

In the previous hearing the apex court had refused to accept IMA's apology and opined that the apology should be given proper publicity.

The top court then granted Senior Advocate Balbir Singh, who was appearing for Patanjali Ayurveda time to reply to the affidavit filed by IMA president till August 6.  

The matter is posted for further hearing on August 6. It may be noted that, till now the Supreme Court has not yet accepted apology by  Baba Ramdev, and Patanjali Ayurveda MD and they are still "proposed contemnors."