The Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered Patanjali and Baba Ramdev to remove a new video advertisement targeting Rooh Afza sharbat of Hamdard. The court threatened to initiate contempt of court proceedings against him, saying that he lives in his own world and is not in anyone’s control.
The court passed the order Hamdard approached the court saying that after removing the previous video where Ramdev had accused the company of using its money for building masjids and madrasas, Patanjali released another video making similar claims against it.
In a promotional video posted on Patanjali Products’ Facebook page on 3rd April 2025, Baba Ramdev had criticised soft drinks, equating them to ‘toilet cleaners’ consumed under the guise of quenching thirst in summer. Without naming any specific company, Baba Ramdev asserted that this company, although it sells ‘sharbat’, the revenue earned from its sales goes towards the construction of mosques, madarsas and other Islamic institutions. However, it was clear that he was targeting Hamdard Laboratories (India), which makes the popular summer drink Rooh Afza.
After Hamdard took Patanjali to the court over the video, Patanjali on 22 April agreed to take down the video. The High Court said that the comments made in the video “Shocks conscience of Court, this is indefensible”.
However, Patanjali posted another video recently, and Hamdard alleged that in this video too, Ramdev made objectional comments. Senior Advocate Sandeep Sethi, representing Hamdard, told the court, “Compare the original and new video. They both refer to Hamdard, both say that I am using profits to build masjid and madrasas and both have tenor of communal speech. In both, he says we belong to particular community and we are pursuing community interests.”
However, Ramdev’s counsel Rajiv Nayar argued that there is no disparaging comments targeting Hamdard’s products in the new video, and the court order has been complied with.
But the court rejected the argument, and Justice Amit Bansal said, “If that is the stance, then we will issue contempt notices. The tone and tenor of the new video is almost similar.” The court added that “He lives in his own world,” referring to Ramdev.
Following this, the court directed Patanjali to take down the offending the video, and the counsel agreed to do so within 24 hours. The Court asked that an affidavit of compliance be filed within a week.
