New Delhi: Baba Ramdev continues be under the legal scanner.
On Friday, Supreme Court sought the status of pending criminal cases against Ramdev since 2021 in Bihar and Chhattisgarh over his remarks against allopathic cure for COVID-19.
The top court was hearing Ramdev’s petition for clubbing cases — filed against him by Bihar and Chhattisgarh units of Indian Medical Association (IMA) — for hearing in July. Ramdev also wanted the trial to be held in Delhi.
“Chargesheets would have been filed by now. If this prayer (for clubbing) has to be considered, we need to know the status of these cases,” said Justices MM Sundresh and PB Varale.
IMA opposed Ramdev’s plea for clubbing the cases, and referred to the other pending proceedings over alleged contempt against Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved for violating an undertaking given to the court prohibiting them from issuing misleading advertisements.
Accusing Ramdev of showing complete disdain for the rule of law, IMA counsel argued, “The petitioner does not deserve any indulgence by this court in exercise of its extraordinary and equitable jurisdiction… The present writ petition deserves to be rejected,” IMA said.
“During the peak of COVID-19 pandemic, the petitioner, motivated by a purely commercial objective, indulged in not only unlawful but also extremely unethical and irresponsible conduct, by misleading people, and seeking to create vaccine hesitancy amongst the gullible and desperate common man,” IMA said, referring to Ramdev’s claim in June 2020 that Coronil can cure those infected by coronavirus.
Ramdev was booked in Bihar and Chhattisgarh under IPC Section 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection), 188 (disobedience to order of a public servant) and also Disaster Management Act.
The state units of IMA had filed the cases after a video showing Ramdev advising his followers not to rely on allopathy for COVID-19 treatment started circulating on social media in May 2021.
After IMA sent him a defamation notice and demanded an apology, Ramdev wrote to the Union Health minister saying he meant no ill will and had great regard for doctors.
