NEW DELHI: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) president R V Asokan faced the wrath of Supreme Court on Tuesday during the hearing in the Patanjali misleading ads case. The court expressed dissatisfaction over the apology published by Asokan in newspapers. SC observed that the apology was illegible and the font minuscule.
“You just see the size of the publication.We have said that we can’t read it. It is less than 0.1 m, if you have any objection then tell us. We aren’t able to read this,” Justice Kohli said.
The apology by the IMA president was issued in response to Asokan’s “damaging” statements made during an interview with news agency PTI where he was asked about Patanjali Ayurved Ltd’s misleading advertisements case.
The bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Sandeep Mehta pointed out that the font size used for the apology in the The Hindu newspaper was extremely small, rendering it illegible.
Moreover, the court instructed Asokan to submit physical copies of 20 editions of The Hindu newspaper, in which his apology was published, within one week.
“The excerpt of the apology filed before us is illegible in as much as the font is miniscule. Counsel for IMA President is directed to file physical copies of 20 publications of The Hindu where the publication of apology has been done. It has to be done in one week,” the court ordered.
The Supreme Court was hearing a case filed by the IMA against Patanjali Ayurved and its founders, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, for publishing deceptive advertisements that targeted evidence-based medicine. The IMA had alleged that Patanjali was engaged in a campaign against modern medicine.
Subsequently, the IMA found itself under scrutiny from the court when its president made remarks criticizing the court for instructing allopathic doctors to address and curb unethical practices within modern medicine.
In an interview given to the PTI, Asokan had expressed that it was “unfortunate” that the Supreme court had criticized the IMA, leading to the demoralization of doctors.
The court strongly objected to this statement and directed Asokan to issue public apologies in prominent newspapers, including those in which the interview was published. Initially, the Court was informed that the apology had been published on the IMA’s website. However, the bench said that the apology should also be published in newspapers.
During the hearing in the court today, senior Advocate PS Patwalia, representing the IMA, submitted a list of publications where the apology had been published. “He is ashamed (of) what has happened. He is apologetic for what has been committed,” Patwalia said. Justice Mehta responded, “He is not doing any obligation to us.”
After the court instructed that physical copies of the apologies be submitted, Patwalia also requested the Bench to issue an order to resolve the matter against the IMA president. Justice Kohli replied, “It will be passed next week by appropriate bench. I am not there. If you comply properly, the bench whichever would be there will pass appropriate orders.”
In a related development, the court recently concluded the contempt of court proceedings against Patanjali’s founders, Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, after issuing several reprimands for broadcasting misleading advertisements and after they submitted unconditional apologies.
Over the course of the case, the scope has expanded beyond Patanjali’s lapses to also include broader issues such as misleading advertisements by others, the responsibility of celebrity influencers who endorse such ads, and unethical practices in modern medicine.
These aspects of the case remain pending before the Supreme Court.
“You just see the size of the publication.We have said that we can’t read it. It is less than 0.1 m, if you have any objection then tell us. We aren’t able to read this,” Justice Kohli said.
The apology by the IMA president was issued in response to Asokan’s “damaging” statements made during an interview with news agency PTI where he was asked about Patanjali Ayurved Ltd’s misleading advertisements case.
The bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Sandeep Mehta pointed out that the font size used for the apology in the The Hindu newspaper was extremely small, rendering it illegible.
Moreover, the court instructed Asokan to submit physical copies of 20 editions of The Hindu newspaper, in which his apology was published, within one week.
“The excerpt of the apology filed before us is illegible in as much as the font is miniscule. Counsel for IMA President is directed to file physical copies of 20 publications of The Hindu where the publication of apology has been done. It has to be done in one week,” the court ordered.
The Supreme Court was hearing a case filed by the IMA against Patanjali Ayurved and its founders, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, for publishing deceptive advertisements that targeted evidence-based medicine. The IMA had alleged that Patanjali was engaged in a campaign against modern medicine.
Subsequently, the IMA found itself under scrutiny from the court when its president made remarks criticizing the court for instructing allopathic doctors to address and curb unethical practices within modern medicine.
In an interview given to the PTI, Asokan had expressed that it was “unfortunate” that the Supreme court had criticized the IMA, leading to the demoralization of doctors.
The court strongly objected to this statement and directed Asokan to issue public apologies in prominent newspapers, including those in which the interview was published. Initially, the Court was informed that the apology had been published on the IMA’s website. However, the bench said that the apology should also be published in newspapers.
During the hearing in the court today, senior Advocate PS Patwalia, representing the IMA, submitted a list of publications where the apology had been published. “He is ashamed (of) what has happened. He is apologetic for what has been committed,” Patwalia said. Justice Mehta responded, “He is not doing any obligation to us.”
After the court instructed that physical copies of the apologies be submitted, Patwalia also requested the Bench to issue an order to resolve the matter against the IMA president. Justice Kohli replied, “It will be passed next week by appropriate bench. I am not there. If you comply properly, the bench whichever would be there will pass appropriate orders.”
In a related development, the court recently concluded the contempt of court proceedings against Patanjali’s founders, Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, after issuing several reprimands for broadcasting misleading advertisements and after they submitted unconditional apologies.
Over the course of the case, the scope has expanded beyond Patanjali’s lapses to also include broader issues such as misleading advertisements by others, the responsibility of celebrity influencers who endorse such ads, and unethical practices in modern medicine.
These aspects of the case remain pending before the Supreme Court.
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