New Delhi: On Tuesday, the Supreme Court ordered the Indian Medical Association (IMA) President, Dr. R.V. Asokan, to use his personal finances to publish a public apology in reputable newspapers for his disrespectful remarks.
Dr Asokan described the oral observations made by the highest court during the Patanjali misleading marketing case against practitioners of allopathy as “unfortunate” and a “very vague and general statement which has demoralised the doctors” in an interview with a media outlet.
A bench led by Justice Hima Kohli asked the IMA chief to issue a public apology from his resources, not from IMA’s coffers and deferred the hearings so he may take measures to absolve himself of the contempt of court proceedings.
During a previous hearing, the top court noted Asokan’s apology in the IMA’s monthly magazine and on its official website.
Patanjali had moved an application seeking contempt against the IMA President for giving a “very disturbing interview”. Senior advocate Mukul Rohtagi, representing Patanjali, had apprised the apex court, “He (IMA president) says why the court has turned fingers at us and the court is making unfortunate statements … .This is direct interference with the court’s proceedings.”
Initially, the IMA had sought action against Patanjali for violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954, which prohibits the advertisement of certain products for the treatment of specified diseases and disorders, including diabetes, heart diseases, high or low blood pressure, and obesity.
The ayurvedic company had earlier assured the Supreme Court that it would not make casual statements claiming the medicinal efficacy of its products, advertise or brand them in violation of law, or release any statement against any system of medicine to the media in any form.
After the top court’s rap, Patanjali withdrew the sale and advertisements of products whose manufacturing licences were suspended by the Uttarakhand State Licencing Authority in April this year.
–IANS
