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Misleading ad case: Kerala HC stays order against Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna
Kerala High Court has granted a three months stay in the criminal proceedings against Patanjali Ayurved’s promoters, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, and Divya Pharmacy.
Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna approached the court to quash the proceedings against them where one of their argument was based on the violation of the limitation period, stated a Bar and Bench report.
The Kerala High Court has granted a stay in the criminal proceedings against Patanjali Ayurved’s promoters, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, and Divya Pharmacy. The time period of the stay, which was granted on April 3, 2025, is of three months.
Justice VG Arun stayed the proceedings pending before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court II in Palakkad.
The case stems from a complaint filed by Kerala's Drugs Inspector, who accused Divya Pharmacy of violating provisions of The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. Specifically, the complaint cites violations of Sections 3, 3(b), and 3(d), which prohibit advertising certain drugs for specific diseases, sexual enhancement claims, and unsubstantiated health benefits.
In this legal proceeding, Divya Pharmacy is named as the first accused, with Acharya Balkrishna and Baba Ramdev listed as the second and third accused, respectively.
This is not the first time Patanjali Ayurved has faced legal scrutiny for its marketing practices. The company came under fire for publishing advertisements that allegedly disparaged modern medicine, particularly Allopathy. The Supreme Court previously issued a contempt notice against Patanjali for continuing to run such ads, but the case was later closed after Ramdev, Balkrishna, and Patanjali offered a public apology.
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