‘Wilful disobedience’
New Delhi: in the misleading advertisements case by Patanjali Ayurved, the Supreme Court bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah refused to accept the unconditional apology tendered by Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved MD Acharya Balkrishna. In strongly worded observations, the court said the “apology on paper” was issued only because their “back is against the wall”.
Referring to Patanjali Ayurveda allegedly publishing misleading advertisements despite their undertaking that they would desist from the same, the court asked the duo to be ready to face action in the contempt case. “The apology is on paper. Their back is against the wall. We decline to accept this, we consider it a deliberate violation of the undertaking,” Justice Hima Kohli said. The court described Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna’s conduct as wilful disobedience. “We don’t accept it (apology), we decline to accept this. We consider it a wilful, deliberate disobedience of the undertaking,” the court added.