The BJP government in Uttarakhand has suspended the licenses of 14 products of Baba Ramdev's Patanjali. A criminal complaint has been filed against Patanjali, Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, who is the chairman of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, for violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, reports said.
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 were identified as the Patanjali products whose license stands suspended in the hill state, news reports confirmed.
Among these as medicines prescribed by the company for asthma, bronchitis and diabetes.
Patanjali is accused of repeatedly publishing misleading advertisements about their efficacy, the government order reportedly showed. The manufacturing permits are "suspended with immediate effect", Mithilesh Kumar of the state regulator reportedly wrote in his order.
The Supreme Court in recent weeks repeatedly criticized Ramdev for not complying with its directives in an ongoing lawsuit to stop misleading advertisements of some of his traditional ayurvedic medicines.
The Supreme Court will be hearing Patanjali's case on Tuesday, April 30, to determine whether to press contempt charges against the yoga guru or not.
Meanwhile, Baba Ramdev crossed a red line when he claimed he could cure COVID-19 and at the same time maligned modern medicine by calling it a "stupid and bankrupt science", Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Dr RV Asokan said.
It was the IMA's first comment since the Supreme Court's tongue lashing to Ramdev and his multibillion-dollar consumer goods empire Patanjali Ayurved last month over misleading ads.
The apex court is hearing IMA's 2022 plea alleging a smear campaign against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine. The court had asked Ramdev, his aide Acharya Balakrishnan and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd last month to issue a public apology for not following its orders on misleading ads.
What happened at SC on Tuesday?
Ramdev and Balkrishna on Tuesday faced questions from the apex court about how prominently they have published their unqualified apology in newspapers.
"Is it the same size of advertisements that you normally issue in newspapers?" a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah asked them while hearing the case related to misleading advertisements by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for the duo, told the bench they have issued on Monday an unqualified apology for the "lapses" on their part.
"Where was it published?" the bench asked.
Rohatgi said the apology has been published in 67 newspapers across the country.
"Prominently?" the bench probed the advocate further and directed that the apology published be filed on record. It said it wanted to see the actual apology published in newspapers.
"The said advertisements are not on record. It is submitted that the same have been collated and shall be filed in the course of the day with copies to counsel for the parties. Needful shall be done within two days with copies to counsel for the parties," the bench said.
It said the matter related to the apology published by Ramdev and Balkrishna will be considered on April 30.
The apex court is hearing a plea filed in 2022 by the Indian Medical Association alleging a smear campaign against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine.
Ramdev and Balkrishna had earlier tendered an "unconditional and unqualified apology" before the top court over advertisements issued by the firm making tall claims about the medicinal efficacy of its products.
- With PTI inputs
