New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday reprimanded the Uttarakhand state licensing authority for its inaction towards Patanjali Ayurved Limited for its misleading advertisements regarding its products and rejected the authority’s explanation to buttress its point in the court.
A bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah observed that the licensing authority swung into action only and followed the law only after the apex court’s order on April 10.
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“Be honest to court if you want sympathy and compassion. Our main concern is whether you took action in accordance with law. It appears Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority acted only after apex court’s April 10 order,” the bench said.
The judges said that the court was concerned to understand whether the licensing body acted in accordance with the law in the misleading advertisement issue. The case will be taken up for hearing again on May 14.
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The bench also directed the counsel appearing for Yog Guru Baba Ramdev and Patanjali executive Acharya Balkrishna to submit the original page of all newspapers on which Patanjali Ayurved Limited had offered public apology in the matter. The court, however, exempted Ramdev and Balkrishna from their personal appearances in the court during the next hearing of the case.
Govt suspends license of 14 Patanjali products
Waking up to the Supreme Court’s tough posturing, the Uttarakhand government on Monday suspended licences of at least 14 products manufactured by Patanjali’s Divya Pharmacy with immediate effect. The products suspended are Swasari Gold, Swasari Vati, Bronchom, Swasari Pravahi, Swasari Avaleha, Mukta Vati Extra Power, Lipidom, BP Grit, Madhugrit and Madhunashini Vati Extra Power, ‘Livamrit Advance’, ‘Livogrit’, ‘Eyegrit Gold’ and ‘Patanjali Drishti Eye Drop’.
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During the hearing of the case on April 10, the apex court had taken serious view of the State Licensing Authority’s dilly-dallying on taking action against the fake claims by Patanjali Ayurveda. The bench observed that the matter shall not be taken lightly as the body appeared to have kept its “eyes shut deliberately”.
