After Supreme Court rap, Ramdev and Balkrishna agree to tender public apology for misleading ads

Patanjali founders Ramdev and Balkrishna told the Supreme Court on April 16 that they will issue a public apology over misleading advertisements and false Covid cure claims. The apex court granted them one-week time to issue a public statement. The court has posted the matter for further hearing on Apr 23 and asked Ramdev and Balkrishna to remain present in court.

"We are not saying at this stage we are letting them off the hook," SC bench tells yoga guru Ramdev's counsel.

"I am willing to give a public apology," senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ramdev and Balkrishna, told a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah.

The apex court asked Ramdev and Balkrishna, both of whom were present in the court, to come forward for an interaction with the bench.

"They should feel they have a connect with the court," the bench said.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah took note of their apologies, but made it clear that at this stage it has not decided to "let them off the hook".

"You are doing good work but you can't degrade allopathy," the bench told Balkrishna while interacting with him.

Ramdev, who also interacted with the bench, said he had no intention to show disrespect to the court in any manner.

However, the bench told Balkrishna that they (Patanjali) are not so innocent that they didn't know what the top court had said in its earlier orders in the case.

"I am willing to give a public apology," senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ramdev and Balkrishna, told the bench at the outset.

The apex court asked Ramdev and Balkrishna, both of whom were present in the court, to come forward for an interaction with the bench. "They should feel they have a connect with the court," the bench said.

Ramdev and Balkrishna had last week tendered an "unconditional and unqualified apology" before the top court over advertisements issued by the firm making tall claims about the medicinal efficacy of its products.

In two separate affidavits filed in the court, Ramdev and Balkrishna have tendered an unqualified apology for the "breach of the statement" recorded in the November 21 last year order of the apex court.

(With PTI inputs)

Also read | 4 dead, 3 hospitalised after boat capsizes in J&K's Jhelum River