The Judicial First Class Magistrate II, Palakkad has issued a bailable arrest warrant against yoga guru Baba Ramdev, his associate Acharya Balakrishna and Divya Pharmacy, the marketing arm of their Haridwar-based Ayurvedic drug manufacturing company Patanjali Ayurved in connection with a case of alleged violation of drug advertisement laws through misleading claims of miraculous benefits.
Ramdev and others were previously summoned to appear before the court on 16 January but failed to comply. Subsequently, the court issued a warrant on the same day and directed him to appear in person on 1 February to seek bail
The case relates to Patanjali, the company carrying misleading advertisements on its healthcare products in the news media in violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. The advertisements claimed that the Patanjali products could cure high blood pressure and diabetes
The case stems from a complaint filed by a doctor from Kannur to the State Drugs Control Department. Acting on the complaint, the State Drugs Controller of Kerala initiated legal proceedings against Patanjali for allegedly violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954.