Criminal Case Filed Against Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna for Misleading Advertisements

A criminal case has been lodged against Patanjali Ayurved co-founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna in the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kozhikode, Kerala. 

The case, which centers on allegations of misleading advertisements, has a hearing scheduled for June 3, where both Ramdev and Balkrishna are expected to appear in person.

This development follows a recent directive from the Supreme Court of India, which ordered Ramdev’s personal appearance in contempt proceedings related to similar issues of misleading advertisements.

The case, initiated by the Drugs Inspector in April 2024, targets Divya Pharmacy, the marketing division of Patanjali products. The charges fall under Sections 3(b) and 3(d) of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, which prohibit advertisements suggesting that a drug can enhance sexual pleasure or cure diseases specified in the Act’s Schedule without scientific evidence.

Patanjali Ayurved and its founders have been under increasing scrutiny for the claims made in their advertisements. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) previously petitioned the Supreme Court, resulting in a temporary ban on certain Patanjali ads and the issuance of contempt notices for false claims regarding their products’ efficacy in curing diseases.

The Supreme Court has criticized Patanjali for misleading the public and exploiting consumer trust, ordering the company to publish apologies in newspapers. The Court also admonished the Central government for not invoking the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules of 1945 against Patanjali.