NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Tuesday turned its heat on Indian Medical Association President for his remarks against the court proceedings in a case related to misleading advertisements by Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev's companies.
A bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah took exception to IMA president's remarks that it was "unfortunate" that the apex court criticised IMA and also the practices of private doctors.
"Be prepared for more serious consequences….if it is correct what is said by the other side then let us tell you have not covered yourself in glory," the bench told IMA's counsel.
The court allowed senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Baba Ramdev, to bring on record the press statement made by Dr R V Asokan, current IMA president in the matter.
Rohatgi sought to highlight the news items quoting the IMA president, saying those are "unfortunate" and "disturbing" comments on the court proceedings.
On Rohatgi's submission, the bench told IMA counsel, "This would be the most serious thing than we have been doing till now...You will have to explain...How would you decide in what way should we be moving ahead in our proceedings."
Rohatgi said such irresponsible statements are being made when proceedings are going on and the matter is subjudice.
Rohatgi said his client was getting punished, but the court had asked two questions last time look at the response of the IMA president.
The bench said self-certification does not help anybody.
“It is directed against the apex court, I breached the court order and I am being punished,” Rohatgi said.
"We will deal with this issue separately," the bench said, allowing Rohatgi to file an application in this regard within two days. The court fixed the matter for consideration on May 7.
Asokan was quoted as saying in news report that it was "unfortunate" that the Supreme Court criticised IMA and also the practices of private doctors. The "vague and generalised statements" have demoralised private doctors, he claimed.
"We sincerely believe they (SC) need to look at what was the material before them. They (SC) perhaps did not consider that this was not the issue that was before them in the court...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," he was quoted.
On April 23, the court had turned the table against the petitioner India Medical Association over "unethical activities of prescribing overpriced medicines for consideration" by their members.
"The petitioner IMA needs to put its house in order," the bench had said.
On April 23, the apex court told IMA that while they are pointing fingers at Patanjali Ayurved but the other four fingers are pointing at the association, as members of the IMA are busy endorsing medicines to their patients.
IMA has filed the plea against Baba Ramdev for advertisements of medicine of curing various diseases and criticising allopathy.
During the hearing, the court allowed Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna facing contempt proceedings to file the newspapers highlighting the public apology made with regard to their conducts.
The court also pulled up the Uttarakhand Licencing Authority headed by Joint Director Mithilesh Kumar, having noted that he had taken action against Patanjali Ayurved and Divya Pharmacy founded by Baba Ramdev after the court's order of April 10.
Uttarakhand State Licensing Authority had earlier informed the Supreme Court that it has on April 15 issued orders to Divya Pharmacy and Patanjali Ayurved Ltd, suspending their manufacturing licences for 14 of their products with immediate effect.
"Why have you said you are taking action on direction of this court. We told you to do it suo motu on your own, you are playing smart, don't put it our shoulders," the bench said.
"We express our dissatisfaction particularly with the statement that the authorities got activated to action after April 10 order," the bench said.
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