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Kerala court issues non-bailable warrants against Ramdev, Balkrishna for misleading ads

The decision comes in the wake of their failure to appear in court following earlier bailable warrants issued for their presence

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New Delhi: A Kerala court has issued non-bailable warrants against yoga guru Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, the co-founder and managing director of Patanjali Ayurved, over allegations of misleading medical advertisements. 

The decision comes in the wake of their failure to appear in court following earlier bailable warrants issued for their presence.

The case stems from complaints filed by the Kerala Drugs Inspector against Divya Pharmacy, a subsidiary of Patanjali Ayurved, accusing the company of publishing advertisements that violate the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. These advertisements are said to have made unsubstantiated claims about curing diseases like diabetes and high blood pressure.

The legal battle has escalated after Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna did not heed the court's summons for a hearing on January 16, followed by their absence after a bailable warrant was issued for their appearance on February 1, 2025. The non-bailable warrants were issued to ensure their presence in court for the next scheduled hearing on February 15, 2025.

This isn't the first time Patanjali and its founders have faced legal scrutiny. The company has been under the legal microscope for several years due to similar charges of misleading advertising. Previously, the Supreme Court of India had issued contempt notices to Patanjali and its leaders for continuing to publish misleading ads, even after assurances were given to stop such practices.

The Kerala Drugs Inspector's complaint specifically invokes Sections 3, 3(b), and 3(d) of the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, which prohibit advertisements that claim to cure certain diseases, enhance sexual pleasure, or diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat or prevent any disease or condition listed under the Act.

Baba Ramdev Patanjali misleading ad misleading advertisement Ramdev Acharya Balkrishna
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