On Monday(5th June 2021), the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing on Yoga guru Ramdev Baba's petition against the filing of multiple FIR's against him in various states in connection with his alleged remarks on the efficacy of allopathy in COVID-19 treatment until next week.
A Bench led by CJI NV Ramana stated that it received a large volume of documents, CD's, and other materials yesterday night and scheduled a hearing into the matter for next week.
Last week, the Bench ordered Ramdev to produce the original video and transcript of statements he made that resulted in the filing of multiple FIR's against him.
Senior lawyer Mukul Rohatgi, who is representing Ramdev, stated that documents and CDs have been filed with the Court.
Ramdev's petition asked for the consolidation of FIR's and the transfer of cases filed against him to Delhi.
His plea also sought a stay of proceedings in multiple cases filed against him, as well as protection from coercive actions in FIR's filed by the Patna and Raipur branches of the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
In the previous hearing, Rohatgi argued that Ramdev is a public figure who, in a private event, promotes the view that Ayurveda is superior to allopathy.
He stated that Ramdev clarified that he has nothing against doctors. Rohatgi argued that he is entitled to his opinion on whether Allopathy, Homeopathy, or Ayurveda is superior.
Rohatgi went on to say that a variety of cases had been filed against Ramdev, and that "as multiple FIR's have been filed in different parts of the country, we ask the court to club them."
"When Patanjali obtained the drug Coronil more than a year ago, everyone turned against him. The point is that he is not against them, so why are there multiple cases? There is freedom of expression ", Rohatgi had contended.
Ramdev has been charged with violating Sections 188 (disobedience to a duly promulgated public servant's order), 269 (negligent act likely to spread infection of a disease dangerous to life), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), and other provisions of the Disaster Management Act, 2005.
In a video, Ramdev is said to have said, "Allopathy is a stupid science, and medicines like Remdesivir, Fabiflu, and other drugs approved by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI) have failed to treat Covid-19 patients."
His remarks sparked widespread outrage, and the IMA issued him a legal notice.
On 16 June 2021 , police in Chhattisgarh's Raipur registered a FIR against Ramdev based on a complaint filed by Raipur's IMA unit for allegedly spreading "false" information about the medicines used by the medical fraternity to treat COVID-19.
According to the complaint, Ramdev has been allegedly spreading false information and making threatening statements on social media about medicines used by the medical community, the Government of India, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and other frontline organizations in the treatment of COVID-19 for the past year. It also states that there are several videos of Ramdev on social media in which he allegedly made such deceptive remarks.
