In a recent judicial development, the Kerala High Court has put a temporary halt to the legal proceedings against renowned Yoga guru Baba Ramdev, his close associate Acharya Balakrishna, and their venture Divya Pharmacy. This decision comes in light of allegations regarding a “misleading” advertisement, with the proceedings originally set in a Palakkad magisterial court.
Justice V G Arun of the Kerala High Court issued the stay for a period of three months, providing temporary relief to the accused parties. Senior advocate Ajith Kumar, representing Ramdev and his associates, confirmed the court’s decision. This interim order was prompted by a plea from the defendants seeking to quash the lower court’s proceedings.
The case against Baba Ramdev and his associates was initiated following a complaint by the Drugs Inspector of Palakkad, which led to the registration of a case under section 3(d) read with section 7(a) of the Drug and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954. The contested sections of the act specifically prohibit the advertisement of certain drugs as treatments for specified diseases and disorders, outlining penalties for violations.
