SC closes Patanjali Ads contempt case, relief for Ramdev and Balakrishna

The Supreme Court on Tuesday concluded the contempt case against yoga guru Ramdev and Acharya Balakrishna after they committed to halting misleading advertisements and claims related to Patanjali Ayurved Ltd products. The case was initiated by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which approached the court in 2022, alleging that Patanjali’s advertisements made false promises of miracle cures for lifestyle disorders and other illnesses. These claims, the IMA argued, violated the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, and the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1954. Despite an earlier undertaking by Patanjali to cease such advertisements, they continued to appear in newspapers, prompting the court to issue contempt notices.