SC’s ‘will rip you apart’ warning in Patanjali case; gets ‘spare me’ reply

The Supreme Court on Wednesday was unrelenting in its criticism of the Uttarakhand licensing authority for not taking action against Patanjali Ayurved for publishing misleading advertisements. A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah pulled up the state licensing authority officials for “pushing the file” to delay action on complaints against Divya Pharmacy and going into a slumber since 2018.
“We have strong objection to use of the word ‘bonafide’ for officers. We are not going to take (it) lightly. We will rip you apart,” the court said in an unusually stern reprimand.
The apex court also refused to accept the affidavits filed by yoga guru and businessman Ramdev and managing director of Patanjali Ayurved Balkrishna tendering unconditional apologies over publishing “misleading” advertisements. The court questioned whether the apology was “even heartfelt” and asserted that the duo did so when “caught on the wrong foot”.
“Having regard to the entire history of the matter and the past conduct of the contemnors…, we have expressed our reservations about accepting the latest affidavit filed by them,” the bench said while dictating the order in the courtroom.
The court declined the apologies saying, “We don’t want to be so generous in this case.”
“The apologies that are on record are on paper. We think that having been caught on the wrong foot and noticing that their back is actually against the wall and having gone to town saying all kinds of things on the very next day of the order passed where your counsel had given undertaking, we don’t accept this affidavit,” it said.
“We decline to accept or condone it. We consider it a wilful and deliberate violation of the order and the breach of the undertaking…,” the bench told senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for Ramdev and Balkrishna.
Describing the state authority as being in a “deep slumber” for four to five years, the court expressed astonishment at its lack of action in addressing the issue at hand.
Justice Hima Kohli said that the licensing authority was hand in glove with Patanjali and did nothing “except pushing the file around.”
Dr Mithilesh Kumar, the Joint Director of the state’s Food and Drug Administration, begged for mercy with folded hands.
“Please spare me…” Dr Kumar said to the court, “I came in June 2023… this happened before me.”
The court, not in a mood to relent, said “Ab ghar pe time bitayiye (now spend time at home).”