A day after facing questions by the Supreme Court about how prominently they have published their unqualified apology in newspapers over misleading ads, Patanjali Ayurved founders Yoga guru Ramdev and his aide Acharya Balkrishna got a fresh apology published in dailies, this time bigger.
The ad published Wednesday morning covered one-fourth of a newspaper page and was titled “Unconditional Public Apology”In wake of ongoing matter before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India (Writ Petition C. No. 645/2022), we in our individual capacity as well as on behalf of the Company, unconditionally apologise for the non-compliance or disobedience of directions/ orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” it read.
Patanjali had put out an apology on Tuesday as well, but the Supreme Court had asked if its size was as big as the misleading ads of its drugs. The entire Patanjali apology episode pertains to the Supreme Court hearing of pleas filed in 2022 by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign against the Covid vaccination drive and modern systems of medicine.
“Is it the same size of advertisements that you normally issue in newspapers?” a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah asked Ramdev and Balkrishna on Tuesday 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.
Yoga guru Ramdev and Acharya 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 inputs from agencies)
