Acharya Balkrishna, the managing director of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, has tendered an apology before the Supreme Court for publishing misleading advertisements regarding medicinal cures, in breach of an undertaking given to the Court.
In response to a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging violations of the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954, and making disparaging remarks about allopathy, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah summoned the Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna and Baba Ramdev of the company for a personal appearance on March 19.
Patanjali Ayurved’s legal troubles began when the Supreme Court noted its failure to respond to a contempt notice regarding misleading advertisements. The court sternly directed both Baba Ramdev and Balkrishna to appear before the court on April 2, expressing disappointment over Patanjali’s disregard for its previous assurances.
The court was upset about an advertisement issued by the company on December 4, 2023, after it had assured the court on November 21, 2023, that it would not make any “casual statements claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine”.
In the affidavit filed in response to the Supreme Court’s notice, Acharya Balkrishna said he “regrets that the advertisement, which was meant to contain only general statements, inadvertently included the offending sentences.” He assured the court that the company would take necessary measures to prevent such occurrences in the future.
The affidavit said its intention is only to exhort the citizens of this country to lead a healthier life by consuming its products, including products for lifestyle ailments, through the use of old age literature and materials supplementing and backed by Ayurvedic research.
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It further read, Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954, and 1955, is in an archaic state and the last changes were introduced in 1996…”. He argued that these laws were formulated at a time when scientific evidence in Ayurveda research was lacking.
The Affidavit claimed that Patanjali Ayurved now possesses extensive scientific data and clinical research to support the efficacy of its products.
It’s worth mentioning that this isn’t the first time Patanjali has faced legal scrutiny over its marketing practices. On November 21, Last year, the company’s counsel assured the court that there would be no further violations of advertising laws and no dissemination of false claims regarding the medicinal efficacy of its products. However, recent events indicate a failure to uphold these commitments, prompting the court’s intervention.
The Supreme Court’s attention to this matter stems from a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), alleging a smear campaign by Ramdev against the Covid vaccination drive and modern medicine.
Founded in 2006 by Mr Ramdev and Mr Balkrishna, Patanjali Ayurved is a multinational conglomerate that manufactures a long list of products, ranging from Ayurvedic medicine to cosmetics to food items.
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