SC rips into Ramdev & Patanjali: ‘Apology with a sack full of salt’

Yoga guru Ramdev after appearing before the SC. Pic/PTI

The Supreme Court on Tuesday tore into Patanjali Ayurved's defence for putting out misleading advertisements, rejecting the apology from yoga guru Ramdev and the firm's managing director Acharya Balkrishna as "lip service" and saying they had broken "every barrier".

The bench, headed by Justice Hima Kohli, also questioned the Centre's alleged inaction over Patanjali's tall claims about the efficacy of its products and denigrating allopathy during the Covid peak and asked why the government chose to keep its "eyes shut". The bench posted the matter for hearing on April 10 and said both Ramdev and Balkrishna have to appear again.

"You have to abide by undertaking given to court and you have broken every barrier," the bench said. Sternly reprimanding Ramdev and his number two Balkrishna, Justice Kohli said the court was taking their apology with a "sack full of salt". The bench also comprised Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah.

The bench also warned Patanjali, Ramdev and Balkrishna that it would take note of "perjury" as certain documents, which were said to be attached with other papers, were created later on. "This is a clear case of perjury. We are not closing the doors on you but we are telling all that we have noted," the bench said.

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