Supreme Court closes contempt proceedings against Patanjali, warns against ‘any future intransigence’

“On an overall conspectus of the facts of the present case and the sequence of events that have transpired from November 23 till May 2024, we are of the opinion that though the initial conduct of the proposed contemnors prior to their tendering apology to the court showed that the same was in violation of the undertakings given to this court, subsequently thereto, after they tendered, an unqualified apology to this court, efforts have been made by them to take steps to make amends. This was not only by expressing regret for their conduct on affidavit and in person, but also by taking steps to publicise the apology tendered by them through advertisements, published prominently in national and regional newspapers,” Justice Kohli said, reading out from the conclusions of the judgment.

The bench further said, “No doubt the wisdom of tendering an unconditional apology dawned belatedly on the proposal contemnors after this court rejected the first attempt made by them to offer a qualified apology, but their subsequent conduct demonstrates that they have made sincere efforts to purge themselves. Given the attendant facts and circumstances of the case, and the efforts made by the proposed contemners to absolve themselves of acts that amounted to breach of undertaking given to their court, we are inclined to accept the apology tendered by them and close the matter.”

The bench added, “At the same time, they are cautioned to strictly abide by the terms of their undertakings. Any future intransigence on their part, whether by act deed or speech that could tantamount violating the order of the court, or dishonouring the terms of the undertakings shall be [dealt with] strictly, and the ensuring consequences could indeed be grave. In that eventuality, the sword of contempt that is now being returned to rest in its sheath shall be flourished as swiftly as this proceedings were originally initiated.”

The court had summoned Patanjali MD Acharya Balkrishna for allegedly flouting an undertaking given to the court. The court was upset over a press conference held by Ramdev on November 22, 2023, in Haridwar and an advertisement issued by the company on December 4, 2023, after it had assured the court on November 21, 2023, that it would not make any “casual statements claiming medicinal efficacy or against any system of medicine”.