New Delhi, Apr 2: The Supreme Court on Tuesday came down hard on Yoga guru Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved MD Acharya Balkrishna, who appeared before the court in connection with the show cause notices issued as to why contempt proceedings would not be initiated against them.
The matter came up for hearing before a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah.
“Both are present?” the bench asked. The counsel appearing for Ramdev said both of them are in the court. The bench observed that advertisements issued by Patanjali are in the “teeth of law” of the land.
During the hearing, the apex court asked Ramdev and Balkrishna to make sure affidavit was filed in pursuance of their solemn undertakings.
On Patanjali’s plea for grant of more time to file fresh affidavit in advertisement case, the Supreme Court said, “Sometimes things should reach logical conclusion.”
“This is absolute defiance. Not just SC, every order passed by courts across country has to be respected,” said the court.
“You have to abide by undertaking given to court, you have broken every barrier,” said the apex court to Ramdev and Patanjali MD.
Meanwhile, Ramdev through his counsel requested the court to note his presence and an unconditional apology.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said “what has happened should not have happened.”
The Bench said, “Wondering why Union chose to keep its eyes shut when Patanjali was going to town saying there were no remedy for Covid in allopathy.”
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court disapproved of Patanjali MD’s statement in affidavit that Drugs and Cosmetics (Magic Remedies) Act is archaic.
The hearing in the matter was underway.
On March 19, the apex court directed Ramdev and Balkrishna to appear before it after taking exception to the company’s failure to respond to the notice issued in the case relating to advertisements of the firm’s products and their medicinal efficacy.
The top court had said it deemed it appropriate to issue a show cause notice to Ramdev as the advertisements issued by Patanjali, which were in the teeth of the undertaking given to the court on November 21, 2023, reflect an endorsement by him.
