Supreme Court Directs Patanjali to Halt False Advertisements, Warns of Rs 1 Crore Fine per Product

New Delhi: In a significant development, the Supreme Court has issued a stern directive to Patanjali, ordering the immediate cessation of all false and misleading advertisements. During Tuesday’s hearing, the court, in response to allegations against Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali for disparaging modern medicines and vaccinations, orally conveyed that a hefty fine of Rs 1 crore could be imposed on each product found in violation.

The petitioner raised concerns about Patanjali’s advertisements claiming the ability to cure specific diseases, prompting the Supreme Court to issue a clear order prohibiting Patanjali Ayurveda from publishing any such advertisements in the future. Additionally, the court mandated that Patanjali refrain from making any statements in the press.

Emphasizing that the issue should not devolve into a debate between allopathy and Ayurveda, the court took the matter seriously and sought a solution to curb misleading advertisements. KM Nataraj, Additional Solicitor General of India, has been tasked with presenting a proposal to address misleading medical advertisements in the next hearing.

The Supreme Court has scheduled the next hearing for February 5, 2024, underscoring its commitment to addressing concerns related to false advertising practices. Notably, in a previous hearing, the court had reprimanded Baba Ramdev for derogatory remarks directed at modern medical systems, particularly allopathy.