SC to IMA chief: You can’t lampoon court from a couch to the press

IMA president R V Asokan. File pic

The Supreme Court on Tuesday reserved its order on the contempt notice issued to yoga guru Ramdev, his aide Balkrishna and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd in the misleading advertisements case.

A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah noted that the counsel appearing for the firm has sought time to file affidavit indicating the steps being taken to recall the advertisements of those products of Patanjali whose licences have been suspended.

The bench said the affidavit be filed within three weeks. "Orders are reserved on the contempt notice issued to respondents 5 to 7 (Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, Balkrishna and Ramdev)," the bench said.

During the hearing, Indian Medical Association (IMA) president R V Asokan unconditionally apologised to the bench for his statements made against the apex court in a recent interview to the PTI where he answered questions about Patanjali Ayurved's misleading advertisements case.

"You can't sit on a couch giving an interview to the press and lampooning the court," Justice Kohli told Asokan. The bench told the IMA's counsel that at this stage, the court was not inclined to accept the affidavit of apology tendered by the IMA president.

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