The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to quash contempt proceedings against the IMA president RV Asokan over his interview to media houses in the misleading advertising case against Ramdev and Patanjali MD Balakrishna. The top court today refused to accept an apology tendered by the IMA president and asked him to spend money from his own pockets in publishing apologies in newspapers and news portals and not IMA's money.
The Supreme Court was hearing a case concerning an alleged smear campaign and disparaging comments made by Patanjali MD and Baba Ramdev against modern medicine. It may be recalled that the top court had initiated contempt proceedings against Yog Guru Ramdev and Patanjali MD after they gave an interview to media despite giving an undertaking in the top court in the ongoing misleading advertisement case.
After the Supreme Court's rebuke the IMA president also gave an interview on the court proceedings. Following which, the Patanjali MD filed an application against him for speaking to the media. Then the Supreme Court initiated contempt proceedings against IMA President as well.
The bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Sandeep Mehta today asked the counsel appearing for IMA president: "Besides the ones you are referring to which other publications was it (interview) shared with? You have to send an apology to all of them. You cannot just wash your hands off. No assumptions here in your favour just because you say so...You are inviting trouble on yourself and we are not taking your apology."
The bench further said that they may have to ask the IMA President to appear virtually before the court. "We have done the courtesy of dispensing with his presence, we probably need to make him appear virtually," the bench said.
Justice Mehta further asked his lawyer to ensure that money spent on publishing the apology is from IMA President's own pocket and not on IMA's expense.
The top court has listed the matter for further hearing in September.