'Is the apology as big as your advertisements?', SC asks Baba Ramdev's Patanjali Ayurved

A bench comprising Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah on Tuesday asked Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved if the public apology that was published by them in the newspapers on April 22, was “as big as their advertisements.”

The bench also asked why the apologies were filed yesterday and not earlier. Advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Ramdev and Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna, said that the apology was published in a total of 67 newspapers and cost around Rs. 10 lakh.

Justice Hima Kohli asked, ”Has the apology been published prominently? Same font and size as your earlier advertisements?” To this, Rohatgi said that they had spent lakhs on publishing the apologies. The court replied saying, "We are not bothered.”

The Supreme Court also mentioned that they received an application asking for a Rs. 1000 crore fine against the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for its case against Patanjali. In reply, Rohatgi informed the court that his clients had nothing to do with it.

The court adjourned the matter for another week after Ramdev informed the court that he will issue a larger apology in newspapers.

On April 16, at the Patanjali’s misleading ads case hearing in the Supreme Court on Tuesday, yoga guru Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved's managing director Acharya Balkrishna were present at the hearing and offered to tender a public apology.