A bailable warrant has been issued against yoga guru Baba Ramdev, his associate Acharya Balkrishna, and their company, Divya Pharmacy, by a court in Kerala’s Palakkad district. The warrant is in connection with a case filed in October 2024, alleging that the company’s advertisements for their Ayurvedic products were misleading and claimed that their products could cure high blood pressure and diabetes. The advertisements violate the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.
The court had earlier issued summons to the accused to appear on January 16, but they failed to turn up. Similar cases are pending against them in other courts in Kerala and Uttarakhand, including in Kozhikode, Ernakulam, and Haridwar. The Palakkad court has posted the case to February 1.
The issue of the bailable warrant comes a day after the Supreme Court warned states and union territories of contempt action if they fail to initiate proceedings against individuals and companies giving misleading medical advertisements. The court made this warning after a status report submitted by an amicus curiae, Shadan Farasat, showed that many states and union territories were not effectively implementing the laws against such advertisements.
In total, at least 11 cases have been registered against Ramdev, Balkrishna, and Divya Pharmacy in Kerala and Uttarakhand. The issue of misleading advertisements has been a contentious one, with some arguing that they prey on vulnerable individuals and others claiming that they are a legitimate means of promoting alternative healthcare products. The ongoing legal battle highlights the need for stricter regulations and enforcement to protect consumers and ensure that the advertisement of healthcare products is transparent and honest.