Winning Bizness Desk
**Delhi, July 29, 2024** — The Delhi High Court has directed Baba Ramdev to retract his claim that Patanjali Ayurved's Coronil Tablet is a cure for COVID-19. The court issued this order on Monday following a petition from several doctors' associations. Justice Anoop Bhambhani, presiding over the case, instructed Ramdev to withdraw statements asserting that Koronil is more than an immunity booster and can treat COVID-19. Ramdev and his associates must remove all related tweets within three days, or they will be removed by social media platforms. The petition challenging Coronil's claims was filed in 2021, after Ramdev promoted the tablet as a cure during the COVID-19 pandemic. The product, launched in 2020 with the presence of Health Minister Harshvardhan Singh and Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari, was initially advertised as an immunity booster, not a COVID-19 remedy.
Doctors argued that Ramdev's claims misled the public, as Koronil was only approved for immune support. They also sought an injunction against future misleading statements. Ramdev's lawyer contended that similar claims had been addressed by the Supreme Court, but the doctors' lawyer maintained that the case differed and required specific action from the Delhi High Court. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had previously petitioned the Supreme Court on August 17, 2022, accusing Patanjali of undermining COVID-19 vaccination and allopathy through false advertising. The IMA argued that Patanjali's claims violated the 'Drugs and Magic Remedies Act, 1954' and the 'Consumer Protection Act, 2019,' and expressed concerns over misinformation damaging the reputation of modern medicine.
The petition also criticized Patanjali's disparaging remarks about allopathy and alleged attempts to spread fear regarding COVID-19 vaccines. IMA urged the Central Government, Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI), and Central Consumer Protection Authority of India (CCPA) to address these concerns.
Bombay High Court Imposes ₹4.5 Crore Fine on Patanjali Ayurved
In a related development, the Bombay High Court imposed a ₹4.5 crore fine on Patanjali Ayurved for breaching an interim order. The court had prohibited the sale of camphor products on August 30, 2023. Patanjali's failure to comply with this order led to the fine, as detailed in a recent affidavit where the company apologized and committed to following court directives. Court issued the fine following an interim application filed by Mangalam Organics, which accused Patanjali of trademark violations concerning camphor products.
