Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balakrishna have filed an application before the Judicial First Class Magistrate-II in Palakkad, seeking to recall the arrest warrant issued against them in the misleading ads case.
As per media reports, the application has been moved under Section 205 of the CrPC. Yesterday, the Court considered the application and scheduled it for a hearing on February 11.
Earlier, the Court had first issued bailable warrants. However, due to their failure to appear, non-bailable warrants were later issued to ensure their presence.
Divya Pharmacy, an affiliated company of Patanjali Ayurved, is facing a complaint filed by the Drug Inspector under Sections 3, 3(b), and 3(d) of The Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. Section 3 prohibits the advertisement of certain drugs for the treatment of certain diseases and disorders. Section 3 (b) prohibits advertisements of drugs claiming maintenance or improvement of the capacity of human beings for sexual pleasure. Section 3 (d) prohibits advertisements of drugs that claim the diagnosis, cure, mitigation, treatment or prevention of any disease, disorder or condition of diseases provided in the Rules made under the Act.
Divya Pharmacy is the first accused in the case, followed by Acharya Balkrishna as the second accused and Baba Ramdev as the third, as per media reports.
The Supreme Court scrutinised Patanjali Ayurved for publishing misleading advertisements that disparaged modern medicine, particularly allopathy. Despite warnings, the company continued to release such ads, prompting the Court to issue a contempt notice. However, the case was later closed after the Court accepted a public apology from Baba Ramdev, Acharya Balkrishna, and Patanjali Ayurved.
