'Was the apology same size as your earlier ads?' SC asks Patanjali

The Supreme Court on Tuesday said that the apology tendered by Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved should be big and prominent, like its advertisements, while asking the company to cut out the apologies published in 67 newspapers yesterday as per the earlier order and submit it in the court. 

A bench led by Justice Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah was hearing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against an alleged campaign by Patanjali Ayurved against Covid-19 vaccination and modern medicines.

“Was it (apologies) of the same size as your earlier ads?” Justice Kohli asked senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who is representing Patanjali Ayurved’s founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna. Rohatgi, in response to this, said that the printing apology in the size of the advertisements would require lakhs of rupees.

Justice Kohli then directed Patanjali Ayurved to present a copy of the printed apology to the court, without enlarging the font of the apology. She also said that the apex court wants to see the actual size of the apology. “We want to see that when you issue an (apology) ad, it does not mean we have to see it by a microscope. It is not meant to be on papers, but also read," Justice Kohli said.

Notably, the development comes, after the apex court, earlier this month reportedly came heavily on Ramdev and Balkrishna over the casual nature of apology affidavits filed by the company before the court.

In February this year, the apex court barred Patanjali Ayurved from advertising or marketing products with misleading claims regarding certain critical diseases. The bench had said the company was taking the “country for a ride” by making misleading claims without “empirical evidence”. The apex court had also pulled up the government for not keeping a check on such ads. It said Patanjali Ayurved can't advertise any product that claims to cure ailments specified in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act.

 It had also asked Ramdev to appear in court in relation with the case.

The company had then submitted an affidavit in the apex court assuring of not creating such ads in future while stating that Patanjali intended to only promote a healthier life by offering Patanjali Ayurved products.

Patanjali Ayurved is not a listed company. The company says the SC's observations do not have any bearing on the regular business operations or the financial performance of Patanjali Foods Limited, the group's listed entity.