Supreme Court Temporarily Bans Advertisements by Patanjali Ayurved, Citing Misleading Claims

The Supreme Court has imposed a provisional prohibition on advertisements by Patanjali Ayurved, a company owned by Baba Ramdev, as reported by Bar and Bench. This action comes nearly four months after the court instructed the company to retract its “misleading” advertisements.

The apex court stated that Patanjali is not permitted to advertise or market any medicinal products that they claim can treat ailments specified in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act. The court expressed concern that the “entire country is taken for a ride” by such misleading claims.

Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, who presided over the case, noted that Patanjali has been making unfounded claims that its medicines can cure certain diseases, despite a lack of empirical evidence to support these assertions.

In response to a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association, the court issued a contempt of court notice to Baba Ramdev, the founder of Patanjali, and CEO Acharya Balkrishna for violating its previous orders and continuing to disseminate false and misleading claims.

The Supreme Court also criticized the government for its lack of action on this issue. The bench addressed Additional Solicitor General KM Nataraj, expressing disappointment that the government had waited two years to act, despite the Act prohibiting such misleading advertisements.

In November of the previous year, the Supreme Court had directed Patanjali to immediately cease its “false and misleading advertisements”, threatening to impose a penalty of Rs 1 crore for each false claim made in its advertisements.

Furthermore, in August 2022, the court had interrogated Ramdev regarding his alleged attempts to undermine allopathy and its practitioners during the COVID-19 pandemic.