"This is not compliance": Supreme Court on apology published by Patanjali

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reprimanded Patanjali Ayurved, stating that the company was not complying with its orders in the misleading advertisement case.

Pulling up the company for producing an e-copy of the advertisement when the court asked for original records, the bench said, "This is not compliance".

"I am raising my hands in this case; enough of this non-compliance of our orders," the bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah said.

The top court is examining the public apology published by the company following the Supreme Court's direction. Both Baba Ramdev and Balkrishna are present in court.

The Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority informed the Supreme Court that the manufacturing licenses of 14 products of Patanjali and its sister concern Divya Pharmacy were suspended on April 15 with "immediate effect".

In response to this, the top court questioned the delay in taking action, stating that the authority has now "woken up from sleep".

The bench, hearing a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association alleging a smear campaign against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine, had asked Patanjali Ayurved to publish a public apology.

The Supreme Court, in November 2023, had directed Patanjali to stop advertisements of its products claiming to treat ailments and disorders specified in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. However, citing the continuation of the advertisements, the IMA moved the court with a contempt plea.