Baba Ramdev Arrest Warrant : Kerala court issues warrant in misleading advertisement case

Palakkad, Kerala:

Baba Ramdev Arrest Warrant: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his associate Acharya Balakrishna find themselves embroiled in legal trouble as a Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kerala issued a bailable warrant against the duo. The warrant came in the form of allegations by Divya Pharmacy, an affiliate of Patanjali Ayurved, on giving misleading advertisements. PTI has reported this development.

The Drugs Inspector of Palakkad lodged the complaint against Ramdev and Balakrishna for contravening sections of Section 3(d) read with Section 7(a) of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954. Such advertisements allegedly promoted several diseases, making unsubstantiated claims and, therefore, brought about the controversy and subsequent legal actions.

Background and Legal Actions

There have been several allegations raised against Patanjali Ayurved and its founders for the past few years regarding exaggerated claims of medicines’ effectiveness. The controversy acquired national attention due to an issue regarding false advertisements created by the company, prompting it to be taken to the Supreme Court by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

The Supreme Court retaliated by sending a contempt notice to Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balakrishna, ordering an interim restraint on such advertisement. The founders made their apology during the court trial as their statement of false and baseless advertisements were ordered to publish apologies in newspapers.
The magisterial court order dated January 16, noted that the complainant and the accused were absent. It directed bailable warrants against all the accused with the next date of hearing being February 1.

This case is one among several pending against Divya Pharmacy in Kerala. The allegations primarily revolve around advertisements that allegedly disparage modern medicine, particularly allopathy, while making unverified claims about curing diseases.

The charges against Ramdev and Balakrishna highlight a growing backlash against Patanjali’s promotional tactics. Critics have argued that such advertisements mislead consumers and undermine established medical practices.

What’s in Store?

All eyes are now on the next hearing at Palakkad, as legal processes continue. A decision from the court will go a long way in affecting Patanjali Ayurved and its promoters, thereby potentially changing the way health-related products are advertised in India.