SC issues contempt notice to Patanjali Ayurved, its MD

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued contempt notice to Patanjali Ayurved and its Managing Director (MD) Acharya Balkrishna for ‘misleading advertisements’ on medicinal cures. The Apex Court passed an interim order imposing a ban on advertisements of Patanjali Ayurved’s medicines.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah was hearing a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in which it had been alleged that smear campaign is being made by the self-styled yoga guru and his company. The bench held that Patanjali has been taking the country for a ride by making misleading claims that its medicines would cure certain diseases despite no empirical evidence for the same.

Hence, the Court has passed an interim order according to which Patanjali cannot advertise or market any of their medicinal products which they claim would treat ailments specified in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act. Besides, the Apex Court also issued contempt of court notice to Patanjali’s founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna for flouting previous orders of the Court.