Today, 19th April, Baba Ramdev seeks Supreme Court intervention, requesting no further action on the Bihar-Chhattisgarh FIR. His appeal aims to halt legal proceedings arising from the registered complaint.
This legal tactic represents a strategic maneuver in light of current events. Ramdev’s appeal highlights the considerable impact on the legal proceedings’ direction.
New Delhi: On Friday (April 19), the Supreme Court heard a petition from yoga guru Ramdev, where he sought the consolidation of multiple FIRs lodged against him for his remarks regarding allopathic medicines during the Covid-19 crisis, and their transfer to Delhi.
A bench comprising two judges, including Justice MM Sundaresh, instructed Baba Ramdev to include as parties even those individuals who personally lodged complaints against him. The bench scheduled the next hearing for July.
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The Patna (Bihar) and Raipur (Chhattisgarh) branches of the IMA filed FIRs against Baba Ramdev in 2021. In his petition, Ramdev named the Centre, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and the IMA as respondents. He also sought a stay on actions related to these FIRs.
Concurrently, proceedings continue regarding the IMA’s petition against Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, presided over by Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin. They granted a 7-day extension and set the next hearing for April 23.
The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) requested to join the ongoing case, alleging that Ramdev insulted allopathy and encouraged people to disregard medical practices. With Rs.15,000 doctor members, the DMA claims that Patanjali’s Coronil kits, earning over Rs. 1,000 crore, lacked certification. However, the Supreme Court already addressing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on August 17, 2022, which accuses Patanjali of false propaganda against Covid vaccination and allopathy.
During the April 16 hearing, Baba Ramdev and Balkrishna appeared for the third time before Justices Hima Kohli and Amanatullah. Ramdev attributed his actions to work excitement, but the court expressed skepticism, stating he wasn’t innocent and showed no change of heart.
Former IMA Vice President Dr. Jayesh Lele and former IMA President Dr. Ranjan Sharma explained why IMA took Patanjali Ayurveda to court. They mentioned sending numerous notices to Ramdev, who claimed impunity due to political backing and widespread land approvals across states, suggesting such approvals are not granted overnight.
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Dr. Sharma highlighted the timing of Ramdev’s mockery of scientific medicine during the Covid crisis, stating,
“While we battled Covid, Ramdev made a mockery of scientific medicine. Amid mourning for the loss of 800 colleagues, he dismissed doctors’ abilities to save lives.”
Dr. Lele criticized the promotion of Coronil as a Covid treatment, stating,
“Patanjali falsely promoted Coronil as a Covid cure, claiming WHO certification. We disproved this through RTI.”
Both doctors mentioned attempting to resolve the issue initially through FIRs and involving government bodies for intervention, but with no response, they proceeded to take legal action in court.