More Stories

Informist, Tuesday, Aug 6, 2024

 

NEW DELHI - Hearing a case against Patanjali Ayurved Ltd for misleading advertisements of its ayurvedic products, the Supreme Court today again refused to accept Indian Medical Association President R.V. Asokan's apology for his remarks against the top court in an interview published in April. The apex court noted the statement by Asokan's counsel that contempt case orders against Asokan be deferred to enable him to take apt steps to purge himself of the contempt.

 

The court said Asokan had to send a public apology to all the newspapers where his interview was published. "All those newspapers in which that interview was carried, you need to approach them to tender an apology through your own pocket. Not the Indian Medical Association (will pay)... You are inviting more trouble on yourself and we are not taking your apology," said the court. "Is that an apology? You just send it to PTI, can't wash off your hands...No assumptions in your favor here", the Bench said after noting Asokan's apology.

 

The Bench of Justice Hima Kohli and Justice Sandeep Mehta asked Asokan's counsel whether his apology was published in all the prominent newspapers. "Except for your own in-house publication, where have you published (your apology)? Your newsletters are not good enough. Was it published in all newspapers where your interview was published?" asked the court. 

 

On Apr 23, while hearing the petition filed by the Indian Medical Association, which had alleged continuous, systematic, and unabated spread of misinformation regarding allopathic and modern medicines by Patanjali Ayurved, the court had asked the association to put its own house in order first. Thereafter, in the interview on Apr 29, Asokan had said the apex court had pointed fingers at the association for no reason. 

 

In the interview, Asokan had said it was unfortunate that the court had criticised the Indian Medical Association. He said the "vague and generalised statements" had demoralised private doctors and that "it does not behove the Supreme Court to take a broadside against the medical profession of the country, which after all, sacrificed so many lives for the COVID war".

 

In May, rejecting Asokan's first apology, the court said Asokan cannot vent his feelings against the court in the press in such a way. "Whether we should accept your statements after such damaging statements. You are the one who dragged the other side to the court saying they are denigrating you, but when you are put to test...?"

 

Thereafter, in July, the apex court noted the second instance where Asokan had given an apology in Indian Medical Association's monthly publication's first page. Additionally, Asokan had sent an apology to the Press Trust of India and The Economic Times, which was published by them. Asokan's counsel had said that if one opens the medical association's website then there is a pop-up showing Asokan's apology.  End

 

Reported by Surya Tripathi

Edited by Vandana Hingorani

 

For users of real-time market data terminals, Informist news is available exclusively on the NSE Cogencis WorkStation.

 

Cogencis news is now Informist news. This follows the acquisition of Cogencis Information Services Ltd by NSE Data & Analytics Ltd, a 100% subsidiary of the National Stock Exchange of India Ltd. As a part of the transaction, the news department of Cogencis has been sold to Informist Media Pvt Ltd.

 

Informist Media Tel +91 (11) 4220-1000

Send comments to feedback@informistmedia.com

 

© Informist Media Pvt. Ltd. 2024. All rights reserved.