"Is your apology as big as your ads: Supreme Court Asks Ramdev Baba After Patanjali Issued Public Apology

The Supreme Court on Tuesday rapped Patanjali Ayurveda and questioned if the size and prominence of the apology published by the company in newspapers is in proportion to the full-page advertisements issued by the company. Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, representing Patanjali founders Ramdev and Balkrishna, informed the court that they had submitted a fresh set of apologies. However, the bench expressed concern over the timing of the apologies, questioning why they were filed only yesterday instead of earlier.

Patanjali and Ramdev were instructed to produce the originals of the advertisements published by April 30. Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi revealed that the ads had been published in 67 newspapers on April 22, incurring substantial costs.

"Has the apology been published prominently? Same font and size as your earlier advertisements?" Justice Hima Kohli inquired whether the apology was published prominently and whether it matched the font and size of Patanjali's earlier advertisements. The court adjourned the matter for a week after Ramdev assured that a larger apology would be published in newspapers.

Furthermore, the Supreme Court included the Ministries of Consumer Affairs and Information and Broadcasting in the Patanjali case. It questioned the withdrawal of Rule 170 of the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules by the Centre, which pertained to objectionable advertisements of Ayurvedic, Siddha, and Unani drugs. The court urged the Uttarakhand Authority to investigate Patanjali under the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act. Additionally, the court expressed its intention to scrutinize advertisements of FMCG products that may deceive consumers and affect public health, particularly among school children.

Regarding the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the court indicated its intent to investigate inflated bills and alleged collusion between doctors and pharmaceutical companies.

Hours ahead of the Supreme Court hearing, Patanjali Ayurved issued a public apology in connection with a case involving misleading advertisements. The apology underscored the company's profound respect for the court and pledged to avoid repeating its mistakes. Patanjali expressed regret for recent actions and assured the Supreme Court of its commitment to upholding the court's dignity and the constitution. The apology comes after the Supreme Court reprimanded Acharya Balkrishna and Baba Ramdev, founders of Patanjali, for promoting misleading advertisements related to their ayurvedic products.

An advertisement published in a national Hindi newspaper conveyed Patanjali's heartfelt apology and reiterated its respect for the Supreme Court's authority. The company acknowledged its mistakes in publishing ads and holding press conferences despite assurances from its legal counsel, vowing not to repeat such errors in the future. "We tender our heartfelt apology for the mistakes committed in publishing ads and holding press conferences despite the assurances by our counsel. We are committed not to repeat this mistake," reads the ad published by Patanjali.

The case, initiated by the Indian Medical Association, alleges Patanjali's involvement in a smear campaign against modern medicine and COVID-19 vaccines. In earlier proceedings, the Supreme Court dismissed Ramdev and Balkrishna's affidavits containing "unconditional apologies," asserting that these apologies were merely superficial.​