New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday gave a week's time to yoga guru Ramdev, his associate Balkrishna and Patanjali Ayurveda to tender a public apology in the misleading advertising case, but said it was not granting them immunity yet.
Both Ramdev and Balkrishna were present during the hearing and personally tendered an unconditional apology to the apex court.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah took note of his apology, but made it clear that at this stage it had not decided to "negotiate".
The bench, while talking to Balakrishna, said, "You are doing good work but you cannot degrade allopathy."
Ramdev also spoke to the bench and said that he had no intention of disrespecting the court in any way.However, the bench told Balakrishna that he (Patanjali) was not so innocent that he did not know what the apex court had said in its earlier orders in the matter.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ramdev and Balkrishna, initially told the bench, "I am ready to tender a public apology."
The top court asked Ramdev and Balkrishna, who were both present in the court, to come forward for talks with the bench. “They should feel that they have a connection with the court,” the bench said.
The top court has now fixed the next hearing of the case on April 23.Ramdev and Balakrishna had last week tendered an "unconditional and unqualified apology" before the top court for making tall claims about the medicinal efficacy of its products in advertisements issued by the company.
In two separate affidavits filed in the court, Ramdev and Balkrishna have tendered unqualified apologies for "breach of the statement" recorded in the apex court's November 21 order last year.
In the order dated November 21, 2023, the top court had said that the lawyer representing Patanjali Ayurveda had assured it that "there will be no violation of any law from now on, especially with respect to the products manufactured and marketed by it." relating to advertising or branding” and, further, no incidental statement claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine shall be released in the media in any form.
The top court had said that Patanjali Ayurveda Ltd "is bound by such assurance".
The non-adherence to the specific assurance and the subsequent media statement irked the top court, which later issued a notice to him to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him.
Both Ramdev and Balkrishna were present during the hearing and personally tendered an unconditional apology to the apex court.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah took note of his apology, but made it clear that at this stage it had not decided to "negotiate".
The bench, while talking to Balakrishna, said, "You are doing good work but you cannot degrade allopathy."
Ramdev also spoke to the bench and said that he had no intention of disrespecting the court in any way.However, the bench told Balakrishna that he (Patanjali) was not so innocent that he did not know what the apex court had said in its earlier orders in the matter.
Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ramdev and Balkrishna, initially told the bench, "I am ready to tender a public apology."
The top court asked Ramdev and Balkrishna, who were both present in the court, to come forward for talks with the bench. “They should feel that they have a connection with the court,” the bench said.
The top court has now fixed the next hearing of the case on April 23.Ramdev and Balakrishna had last week tendered an "unconditional and unqualified apology" before the top court for making tall claims about the medicinal efficacy of its products in advertisements issued by the company.
In two separate affidavits filed in the court, Ramdev and Balkrishna have tendered unqualified apologies for "breach of the statement" recorded in the apex court's November 21 order last year.
In the order dated November 21, 2023, the top court had said that the lawyer representing Patanjali Ayurveda had assured it that "there will be no violation of any law from now on, especially with respect to the products manufactured and marketed by it." relating to advertising or branding” and, further, no incidental statement claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine shall be released in the media in any form.
The top court had said that Patanjali Ayurveda Ltd "is bound by such assurance".
The non-adherence to the specific assurance and the subsequent media statement irked the top court, which later issued a notice to him to explain why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against him.
