A Kerala court has issued a bailable warrant against Baba Ramdev, Acharya Balakrishna, and Divya Pharmacy in a case related to misleading advertisements.
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A Kerala court has issued a bailable warrant against yoga guru Baba Ramdev, his associate Acharya Balakrishna, and Divya Pharmacy in connection with a case pertaining to misleading advertisements.
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The Judicial First Class Magistrate II in Palakkad passed the order on 16 January after noting the absence of the accused and the complainant during the hearing. The case, filed by the Drugs Inspector of Palakkad, accuses the respondents of violating provisions under Section 3(d) read with Section 7(a) of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.
In its order, the magisterial court observed, “Complainant absent. All accused absent served. Bailable warrant to all accused.” The court subsequently scheduled the next hearing in the matter for 1 February, according to the case status available on the Palakkad District Court's official website, PTI reports.
The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, prohibits advertisements that falsely claim the ability to cure certain ailments or promote unverified remedies. The case alleges that the accused had released misleading advertisements that contravened the provisions of this law, according to PTI.
Divya Pharmacy, a company associated with Baba Ramdev and Balakrishna, is also named as a respondent in the case. The pharmacy is well-known for manufacturing Ayurvedic medicines and herbal products marketed under the Patanjali brand, which is co-founded by Ramdev and Balakrishna.
The court’s decision to issue a bailable warrant indicates that the accused are required to appear before the court or secure bail to avoid further legal complications. While the nature of the alleged advertisements in question has not been detailed in the court documents, misleading claims in pharmaceutical promotions are treated with strict scrutiny under Indian law.
This legal development comes amid Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balakrishna’s significant influence in promoting Ayurveda and yoga across India and globally. Their enterprise, Patanjali Ayurved, has grown to become one of the leading companies in India’s FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) sector, marketing a range of products from medicines to food and cosmetics.
The case is set to be closely watched as the allegations pertain to the contentious issue of unsubstantiated claims in health-related advertisements, a matter that has drawn significant public and regulatory attention in recent years. The outcome of the next hearing on 1 February will determine the further course of legal proceedings in this matter.
(With inputs from PTI)
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