SC Exempts Ramdev From Hearings, Cites His 'Wide Influence'

The Supreme Court decided to exempt yoga guru Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved's managing director, Acharya Balkrishna, from physically attending court hearings regarding a case involving misleading advertisements.

The court, headed by Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah, reserved its order on the contempt notices issued to Baba Ramdev and others involved in the case. The bench instructed Patanjali to submit a detailed affidavit within three weeks outlining the steps taken to remove existing misleading ads for its products and to recall ads for products whose licenses have been suspended.

"We are reserving orders on the contempt plea and dispensing with the presence of both Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna. We need a detailed affidavit explaining the steps taken to recall advertisements and also for the withdrawal of banned products from the respective stores," stated the Supreme Court.

Justice Amanullah emphasized the importance of synergy between allopathy and Ayurveda, emphasizing the need for the public to be well-informed.

Addressing the counsel representing Baba Ramdev, Justice Amanullah mentioned, "Your client had to go to AIIMS two years ago for a heart ailment. Baba Ramdev has a lot of 'aastha' (faith), and it should not be taken for granted. He should use it wisely."

"Public is cognisant, if they have choices, they make well-informed choices... Baba Ramdev has a lot of influence, use it in the right way," the court remarked.

Senior advocate Balbir Singh, representing Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, informed the court that Patanjali had halted the sale of banned products both offline and online. Singh also mentioned that they were working on withdrawing advertisements from 500 locations, including channels.

The Supreme Court is currently hearing a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine.