Ramdev tenders unconditional apology in Patanjali ads case
New Delhi, India – Yoga guru Baba Ramdev apologised to the Supreme Court on Tuesday for publishing misleading advertisements and making comments against allopathic medicines and assured that he will ‘remain conscious about it in future’.
Co-founder of Patanjali Ayurved Ltd., Ramdev, tendered unconditional apology ‘for the mistakes’, adding that ‘what we did at the time was not correct. We will be conscious about it in the future’. Balkrishna, Patanjali’s Managing Director, also apologised to the apex court and said that their conduct was not deliberate.
Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Patanjali, told the top court that they are ‘ready to give a public apology
to show contrition’.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah personally interacted with Ramdev and Balkrishna who were personally present in the courtroom.
While recording an undertaking by Patanjali and its representatives that they propose to voluntarily take some steps to redeem themselves and show their good intentions, the bench adjourned the matter till
April 23.
The apex court said that the duo are not off the hook yet and will think about accepting their apologies.
“This is irresponsible behaviour. The previous history of yours is damaging. We will think over it, whether to accept your apology or not,” Justice Kohli said.
The bench told Ramdev that he was ‘not so innocent’ and criticised him for his ‘irresponsible behaviour’.
The apex court said: “We are not saying we will forgive you. We cannot be blind to your earlier history; we will think about your apology. You are not so innocent that you were completely unaware of what was going on in Court.”