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Yoga guru Ramdev and managing director of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd Acharya Balkrishna have tendered “unconditional and unqualified apology” before the Supreme Court over advertisements issued by the firm making tall claims about the medicinal efficacy of its products.
In two separate affidavits filed in the apex court, Ramdev and Balkrishna tendered unqualified apology for the “breach of the statement” recorded in the November 21 last year order of the apex court.
In the November 21, 2023 order, the top court had noted that counsel representing Patanjali Ayurved had assured it that “henceforth there shall not be any violation of any law(s), especially relating to advertising or branding of products manufactured and marketed by it and, further, that no casual statements claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine will be released to the media in any form”. The top court had said Patanjali Ayurved Ltd is “bound down to such assurance”.
The non-observance of the specific assurance and the subsequent media statements irked the apex court, which later issued notice to them to show cause as to why contempt proceedings be not initiated against them. In his affidavit filed in the top court, Ramdev has said, “I hereby tender my unconditional apology in regard to the issue of advertisements which occurred after the statement of counsel of respondent no. 5 (Patanjali) which was recorded in the order dated November 21, 2023, which I am informed has the force of an injunction.” “I sincerely regret this lapse and I wish to assure the court that the same will not be repeated,” he said, adding, “I hereby tender an unconditional and unqualified apology for the breach of the statement recorded in para 3 of the order of this court dated November 21, 2023”.
He said the statement shall be complied with in letter and spirit and no such similar advertisements shall be issued. Ramdev also tendered unconditional apology for the press conference held on November 22 last year and undertook not to make any public statements which may amount to breach of the undertaking given before the court. “I regret this lapse and assure that the same will not be repeated again in future,” he said, adding, “I seek pardon for the aforesaid breach of the statement. I undertake to always uphold the majesty of law and majesty of justice”.
Similarly, Balkrishna also tendered an unconditional apology for the breach of the statement recorded in the apex court’s November 21 last year order.
With inputs from News18