After Supreme Court Knock, Ramdev’s Apology Bigger Than Before (image-facebook/Patanjali Products )

Yoga guru Ramdev and his aide Acharya Balkrishna on Wednesday published an apology in the newspaper for misleading the advertisements of Patanjali’s medicinal products. The apology was published a day after the Supreme Court while hearing a contempt case, questioned regarding the size of the apology published in the newspaper. 

This time, the apology published by the duo, was bigger in size after the Supreme Court pulled up the duo for not “prominently” displaying it previously. 

On Tuesday, Ramdev and his aide had faced questions from the Supreme Court about how prominently they had published their unqualified apology in newspapers. In the newly published apology, Ramdev and Balkrishna said they “unconditionally apologize” in their individual capacity as well as on behalf of Patanjali Ayurved for “the non-compliance or disobedience of directions/orders of the Supreme Court of India”.

“We earnestly apologise for the mistake made in publishing our advertisements and it is our whole-hearted commitment that such errors will not be repeated,” the apology stated.

The Court has asked the duo whether the size of the apology put out in the newspaper by Patanjali was similar to full-page advertisements for its products. They said that they have issued an unqualified public apology in as many as 67 newspapers over misleading ads and were willing to issue additional advertisements expressing their contrition. They claimed that the advertisements cost Rs 10 lakh. 

The bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah also ordered Patanjali to collate the ads and submit them before the bench. 

“Do not enlarge them and supply it to us. We want to see the actual size… we want to see that when you issue an ad it does not mean we have to see it by a microscope. It is not meant to be on papers but also read,” the court further said.

The top court had directed Patanjali to stop all advertisements of its products that claim to treat ailments and disorders specified in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. The court order came following the plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) seeking action against Ramdev for criticizing modern medicine. 

The matter is scheduled to be heard on April 30, and Ramdev and Balkrishna have been asked to appear in court.