The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Uttarakhand government to decide on the suspension of 14 products by yoga guru Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved, reported Live Law.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta directed the Bharatiya Janata Party government in the state to decide on the matter within two weeks.
On April 29, the Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority for Ayurvedic and Unani Services told the court that the licences were suspended as Patanjali Ayurved had repeatedly violated the 1945 Drugs and Cosmetic Rules.
The 14 drugs that had been suspended were: Swasari Gold, Swasari Vati, Bronchom, Swasari Pravahi, Swasari Avaleh, Mukta Vati Extra Power, Lipidom, Bp Grit, Madhugrit, Madhunashini Vati Extra Power, Livamrit Advance, Livogrit, Eyegrit Gold and Patanjali Drishti Eye Drop.
At the previous hearing on July 9, Patanjali Ayurved told a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Sandeep Mehta that it had instructed 5,606 franchise stores to withdraw these products.
Media platforms were also instructed to withdraw advertisements for the 14 products, said the company. The court had asked Patanjali Ayurved to file an affidavit within two weeks, stating if social media intermediaries had withdrawn advertisements for the products.
At Tuesday’s hearing, the Indian Medical Association told the court that the 14 products were still available over the counter, even though Patanjali had earlier reportedly stopped their manufacturing.
Patanjali then told the court that the state government cancelled the suspension order on July 1 after considering the report of a committee constituted to look into the matter, reported Live Law.
The bench was hearing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association against Patanjali Ayurved accusing the company of carrying out a “smear campaign” against modern medicine and the Covid-19 vaccination drive.
The Delhi High Court on Monday directed Ramdev to remove social media posts about the use of Patanjali product Coronil, which was advertised as a cure for Covid-19, reported PTI.
The court has asked Ramdev to remove the tweets within three days. If the direction is not complied with, X will have to take down the content, the court added.
Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani passed the direction while hearing a plea moved by several doctors’ associations against Ramdev. The petitioners alleged that Ramdev had made “unsubstantiated claims” about Coronil being a cure for Covid-19, contrary to the licence granted to the drug for merely being an immunity booster.
The Bombay High Court on Monday imposed Rs 4 crore costs on Patanjali Ayurved for violating a 2023 interim order that restrained the company from selling camphor products, reported The Hindu.
Justice RI Chagla noted that Patanjali had made a “wilful and deliberate breach” of the court’s order and that the firm intended to flout the orders. The court has directed Patanjali Ayurved to deposit Rs 4 crore within two weeks.
On July 8, the Bombay High Court had directed Patanjali Ayurved to pay Rs 50 lakh for violating the order barring it from selling camphor products.