Patanjali’s MD Balkrishna apologizes to Supreme Court over deceptive ads, submits affidavit
THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK Advertisement New Delhi, March 21: In response to the alleged deceptive ads, Acharya Balkrishna, managing director of…
THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, March 21: In response to the alleged deceptive ads, Acharya Balkrishna, managing director of Patanjali Ayurved, presented an unqualified apology to the Supreme Court on Thursday.
This occurred two days after the managing director of the company, Acharya Balkrishna, and yoga guru Ramdev were ordered to appear before the court.
Balkrishna in an affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court affirmed that his company would refrain from repeating similar advertisements, emphasizing that the ads were solely intended to advocate for Ayurveda.
“The Deponent will ensure that such advertisements are not issued in the future. By way of clarification, not as a defence, the Deponent begs to submit that its intention is only to exhort the citizens of this country to lead a healthier life by consuming products of Respondent No. 5 including products for lifestyle ailments through the use age old literature and materials supplementing and backed by ayurvedic research,” the affidavit stated.
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Patanjali’s media division unaware of court directives
In its affidavit, the company expressed utmost respect for the rule of law and committed to adhering to it. It further stated that its media division was unaware of any court directives prohibiting such advertisements.
“The Deponent regrets that the advertisement in question which was meant to contain only general statements inadvertently included the offending sentences. The same was bonafide and added in the routine course by the media department,” the affidavit further stated.
Patanjali affirms scientific support for Ayurvedic products
The affidavit emphasized Pathanjali’s assertion that its Ayurvedic products are supported by scientific study and that it possesses scientific data with clinical research conducted in Ayurveda, which was unavailable at the time the Drugs and Cosmetics Act of 1940 was passed.
“Our only quest is for a better and healthier life for each and every citizen and to reduce the burden on the country’s healthcare infrastructure by providing holistic, evidence-based solutions for lifestyle related medical complications through the usage of the age-old traditional approach of Ayurveda and Yoga,” it said.
SC earlier issued contempt notice to Patanjali
In 2023, the Supreme Court cautioned that it would levy fines of ₹1 crore for every false claim in each advertisement promoting Patanjali Ayurved products purporting to cure diseases. At that time, the court admonished Patanjali to refrain from disseminating misleading advertisements in the future and to abstain from making such assertions to the media.
Despite the court’s admonition, these advertisements persisted. This year on February 27, the court once more enforced a temporary prohibition on such advertisements and issued a contempt of court notice to both the company and Balkrishna for disseminating deceptive claims.
