Kozhikode: Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his associate Acharya Balkrishna have been asked to appear before the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kozhikode on June 3 in a case related to placing misleading advertisements in English and Malayalam newspapers.
Both are founders of Haridwar-based Divya Pharmacy that markets Patanjali Ayurved’s products. Mr. Balkrishna is also its managing director. The case is based on a complaint filed in April by the Drugs Inspector, Office of the Assistant Drugs Controller, Kozhikode, in the court under Section 10 of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, for committing an offence under Section 3(b) and 3(d) of the Act, punishable under its Section 7(a). Recently, a court in Haridwar issued summons to Mr. Ramdev and Mr. Balkrishna after they failed to appear before it.
Divya Lipidom, one of their products, claimed to reduce cholesterol and dyslipidemia (abnormal levels of cholesterol or fats), and be “helpful in fat metabolism” while Patanjali Nutrela Diabetic Care claimed to reduce blood sugar levels and control body weight.
Section 3 of the Act prohibits advertisement of certain drugs for treatment of certain diseases and disorders. Subject to the provisions of this Act, no person shall take any part in the publication of any advertisement referring to any drug in terms which suggest or are calculated to lead to the use of that drug for (b) the maintenance or improvement of the capacity of human beings for sexual pleasure; or (d) the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of any disease, disorder or condition specified in the Schedule, or any other disease, disorder or condition (by whatever name called) which may be specified in the rules made under. The charges entail imprisonment up to six months or a fine.
Earlier, offices of the Assistant Drugs Controller in Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Kannur and Kozhikode had registered 29 cases against the firm. The first complaint against Divya Pharmacy was filed by Kannur-based ophthalmologist K.V. Babu on February 22, 2022. Following this, the State Drugs Control department ordered an inquiry, which revealed instances of violation of the Act.
