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The Uttarakhand government on Monday informed the Supreme Court that it has suspended the licences of 14 products sold by the Baba Ramdev-owned Patanjali Ayurved and Divya Pharmacy. The declaration came with an apology by the State Licensing Authority (SLA) along with a promise that it would commit no deliberate or willful act which would disobey any orders of the Supreme Court.
An affidavit of the state, filed through Dr. Mithilesh Kumar, joint director of State Licensing Authority, Ayurvedic and Unani Services, said that in an order issued on April 15, 2024, to Divya Pharmacy and Patanjali Ayurved Limited, it was conveyed that the manufacturing licences for 14 products were suspended with immediate effect. The suspension took place for repeated violations of regulations, particularly concerning misleading advertisements, under Rule 159(1) of The Drugs and Cosmetics Rules, 1945.
Also read: Supreme Court’s ban on Patanjali ads | Explained
These drugs were Swasari Gold, Swasari Vati, Bronchom, Swasari Pravahi, Swasari Avaleh, Mukta Vati Extra Power, Lipidom, Bp Grit, Madhugrit, Madhunashini Vati Extra Power, Livamrit Advance, Livogrit, Eyegrit Gold and Patanjali Drishti Eye Drop.
It was also informed that on April 16, 2024, the drug inspector/district ayurvedic and unani officer, Haridwar, had filed a criminal complaint before the Chief Judicial Magistrate against Mr. Ramdev, Acharya Balkrishna, Divya Pharmacy and Patanjali Ayurved Limited under sections 3, 4 and 7 of the DMR Act.
In the affidavit in the court, the SLA tendered an unconditional and unqualified apology against any inadvertent and unintentional non-compliance with the orders of the Supreme Court and said that he is 55 years of age and still has five years of service left. “Further, the SLA also has a family to look after and therefore any observations made by this Hon’ble Court will have a detrimental effect on his career,” the affidavit stated.
The affidavit was filed in response to a plea filed by the Indian Medical Association against Patanjali and its founders Mr. Ramdev and Mr. Balkrishna for a campaign against the COVID-19 vaccination drive and modern medicine. The Supreme Court, earlier this month, had refused to accept a second round of apologies from Ramdev and the other accused in the matter.
