Patanjali’s Soan Papdi Fails Quality Test: Assistant Manager and Others Arrested
Patanjali's Soan Papdi Fails Quality Test: Assistant Manager and Others Arrested
In a setback for Patanjali Ayurved, three individuals, including an assistant manager, have been fined and sentenced to six months in prison after a quality test revealed issues with the company’s Navratna Elaichi Soan Papdi.
The legal action stemmed from concerns raised at a testing laboratory in Rudrapur, Uttarakhand, regarding the substandard quality of the product.
The incident unfolded after a food safety inspector flagged discrepancies with the Soan Papdi at a shop in Pithoragarh in 2019. Subsequent tests conducted at the Rudrapur laboratory confirmed the findings, leading to notices being issued to the distributor and Patanjali Ayurved. By December 2020, the state food safety department was notified of the product’s failing quality.
Legal proceedings were initiated against businessman Lila Dhar Pathak, distributor Ajay Joshi, and Patanjali assistant manager Abhishek Kumar. Each individual was handed a six-month prison sentence along with fines ranging from ₹5,000 to ₹25,000.
Meanwhile, in a separate development, the Supreme Court of India reserved its order on a contempt plea against Baba Ramdev, Acharya Balkrishna, and others regarding misleading advertisements by Patanjali.
Ramdev and Balkrishna were exempted from personal appearance in the case, with the court granting Patanjali time to file affidavits detailing the steps taken to recall products with suspended licenses. The court also criticized the Indian Medical Association President for discussing the case with the press.
