Patanjali issues new apology over misleading ads

Following the Supreme Court’s direction yesterday regarding the size and visibility of the apology, Patanjali Ayurved Limited co-founders Yoga guru Ramdev and Balkrishna today issued a new public apology to newspapers. The company was ordered to apologize for previous misleading advertisements.

“In wake of ongoing matter before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, we in our individual capacity as well as on behalf of the Company, unconditionally apologise for the non-compliance or disobedience of directions/orders of the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India,” says the text of the new “unconditional public apology” by Patanjali. This is in bigger fonts.

“We unconditionally extend the apology for holding meeting/press conference dated 22.11.2023. We earnestly apologize for the mistake made in publishing our advertisements and it is our whole- hearted commitment that such errors will not be repeated. We undertake to abide by directions and instructions of the Hon’ble Court with due care and utmost sincerity. We undertake to uphold the majesty of the court and comply with applicable laws and directions of the Hon’ble Court of law/relevant authorities,” the Patanjali public apology says.

Earlier, Ramdev and Balkrishna had earlier submitted an “unconditional and unqualified apology” before the top court over their misleading and unsubstantiated claims about the medicinal efficacy of their products in advertisements.

Yesterday, a Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah questioned Ramdev and Balkrishna about how prominently they had published their unqualified apology in newspapers. “Is it the same size of advertisements that you normally issue in newspapers?” the Bench asked them.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ramdev and Balkrishna, told the Bench that the apology has been published in 67 newspapers across the country.

“Prominently?” the Bench asked the advocate, adding that it wanted to see the actual apology published in newspapers.

It would look into the matter related to the apology on April 30.