After the Supreme Court rap, the Uttarakhand government finally suspended the licences of 14 products of Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali.
A criminal complaint has also been filed against Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna and Patanjali for violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act.
The products whose licences have been suspended are Swasari Gold, Swasari Vati, Bronchom, Swasari Pravahi, Swasari Avaleh, Mukta Vati Extra Power, Lipidom, Bp Grit, Madhugrit, Madhunashini Vati Extra Power, Livamrit Advance, Livogrit, Eyegrit Gold and Patanjali Drishti Eye Drop.
The Uttarakhand government has stated that its licensing authority has issued a “public notice intimating that publication of advertisements contrary to the law would entail strict disciplinary and legal action, including fine, imprisonment, or both.”
As per the affadavit, the licensing authority has granted permission to the Drug Inspector at Haridwar to file a complaint against Divya Pharmnacy and Patanjali Ayurved for violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act of 1954.
The action comes amidst a hearing in the Supreme Court against Ramdev and Patanjali’s managing director Balkrishna on disobeying court orders that forbade Patanjali Ayurved from running misleading advertisements on health cures.
The apex court is hearing a 2022 plea by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine.
Last month, the court had asked Ramdev, his aide Acharya Balakrishnan and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd to issue a public apology for not following its orders on misleading ads.
During the hearings last week, a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah asked pointed questions at Ramdev and Balkrishna to answer charges of contempt of court, stemming from a series of advertisements that claimed Patanjali products could cure various diseases — a clear violation of the top court’s earlier directives and an undertaking given by Patanjali in this regard.
“Why would you say any other system is not good?” it asked Ramdev, who expressed his “unqualified and unconditional apology” for his conduct. Ramdev said that he has never sought to denigrate any other form of medicine, including modern medicine
Both Ramdev and Balkrishna, tendered an “unconditional and unqualified apology” before the Supreme Court over advertisements issued by the Patanjali.
The bench, however, later questioned them on the size and visibility of an apology issued, prompting Patanjali to issue a new public apology in newspapers on Wednesday, April 24.
“In wake of an ongoing matter before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, we in our individual capacity as well as on behalf of the Company, unconditionally apologise for the non-compliance or disobedience of directions/orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” the new “unconditional public apology” by Patanjali reads – this time, with bigger more fonts.
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