Supreme Court Closes Contempt Case Against Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balakrishna

New Delhi August 13 2024 : The Supreme Court on Tuesday closed the contempt case against Swami Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved Managing Director Acharya Balakrishna, accepting their unconditional apology and an undertaking to refrain from issuing misleading advertisements.

A bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta accepted the apologies, which had been repeatedly offered by Ramdev and Balakrishna in court and published in multiple newspapers nationwide. The bench issued a stern warning, stating that the contempt case would be reopened if any terms of their undertaking were breached in the future.

The contempt proceedings were initiated following a plea by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), accusing Ramdev and Balakrishna of making misleading claims about the effectiveness and benefits of their products.During the hearing, the court also expressed dissatisfaction with IMA Secretary General Dr. Jayesh M. Lele for the nature of the apology tendered on behalf of the association. The IMA had sought to establish guidelines to prevent false and misleading advertisements related to allopathy and modern medicine.

Earlier, Dr. Lele’s counsel informed the court that an apology for his controversial remarks regarding the Patanjali hearing had been published across various media platforms, including the IMA’s website. The website features a pop-up displaying the apology. The bench clarified that any costs associated with this matter should be borne by Dr. Lele personally, rather than being charged to the IMA. The court then adjourned the matter.