Why Supreme Court has asked Baba Ramdev to personally appear before it

The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna to be personally present before it after the latter failed to file a reply to a show-cause notice in the contempt proceedings initiated against Patanjali Ayurved for its misleading advertisements. [Indian Medical Association & Anr v. Union of India and Ors].A Bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah remarked that the duo were prima facie in violation of Sections 3 and 4 of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.The Court passed the order despite strong opposition by Senior Advocate Mukul Rohtagi, who represented Patanjali."How can you be in the teeth of our orders?" Justice Kohli said, as the Court asked Ramdev and Balkrishna to file their replies..Rohatgi protested and asked, "How does Ramdev come into the picture?"The Court was, however, adamant."You are appearing. We will see on next date. Enough."Rohtagi then submitted that violation of the law was not contempt of court and what was being relied on in open court has to be recorded in the order.However, the Court did not relent and passed the order for personal appearance of the duo."It is deemed appropriate to direct the presence of respondent No.6-Acharya Balkrishna on the next date of hearing ... on noticing that the said advertisements reflect an endorsement thereof by Baba Ramdev, it is deemed appropriate to issue notice to show cause as to why the contempt proceedings be not initiated against him"..The matter will be taken up next on April 2..In the previous hearing, the Court had imposed a temporary ban on advertisements of the Patanjali Ayurved's medicines, and issued contempt notices to its founders the company and Balkrishna for making misleading claims.The top court had lamened that Patanjali has been taking the country for a ride by falsely claiming that its medicines cure certain diseases despite no empirical evidence for the same.It had pulled up Central government for not tackling misleading advertisements despite the present petition against the same having been filed in 2022.It ordered that Patanjali should not make adverse statements or claims against other forms of medicine..The Bench was hearing a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) alleging a smear campaign by the self-styled yoga guru and his company against the COVID-19 vaccination drive and modern medicine.The Supreme Court had in November threatened to impose costs of ₹1 crore per false claim made in each advertisement for Patanjali Ayurved products that claim to cure diseases.The Court had then stressed that the issue could not be reduced to a debate between allopathy/modern medicine and Ayurvedic products.The top court had also directed Patanjali not to publish false advertisements in the future, and to avoid making such claims to the media, as ultimately a solution was needed regarding misleading medical advertisements..Note: This piece has been updated to reflect that the personal presence of Patanjali Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna was also directed. The error earlier is regretted..Senior Advocate PS Patwalia appeared for the Indian Medical Association..[Read order]