Patanjali Ayurved Extends ‘Unconditional Apology’ In Misleading Ads Case

On the back of the Supreme Court’s rebuking Baba Ramdev’s Patanjali Ayurved to extend a public apology ‘as big as their advertisements’, the brand has now put an apology in leading newspapers on Thursday.

“In the wake of the ongoing matter before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, we in our individual capacity as well as on behalf of the Company, unconditionally apologise for the non-compliance or disobedience of directions/orders of the Supreme Court of India,” the apology read.

“We unconditionally extend the apology for holding meeting/press conference dated 22.11.2023. We earnestly apologise for the mistake made in publishing our advertisements and it is our wholehearted commitment that such errors will not be repeated. We undertake to abide by the directions and instructions of the Hon’ble Court with due care and utmost sincerity. We undertake to uphold the majesty of the Court and comply with applicable laws and directions of the Hon’ble Court of law/relevant authorities,” it added.

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.”