A fresh legal challenge has emerged for Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his brand, Patanjali Ayurved, as a petition has been filed in the Delhi High Court alleging that their herbal tooth powder, ‘Divya Manjan’, which is marketed as a vegetarian product, contains non-vegetarian ingredients.
Fresh trouble for Baba Ramdev as plea in Delhi High Court alleges Patanjali tooth powder has non-veg ingredients#DelhiHighCourt #babaramdev
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— Bar and Bench (@barandbench) August 30, 2024
Allegations of Misbranding and Religious Distress
The petitioner, advocate Yatin Sharma, claims that ‘Divya Manjan’, which is marked with a green dot symbolizing a vegetarian product, actually contains samudraphen (Sepia officinalis), a substance derived from fish extract. This revelation has caused distress to Sharma and his family, as their religious beliefs strictly prohibit the consumption of non-vegetarian ingredients.
Violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act
Sharma argues that Patanjali’s labeling of the product as vegetarian constitutes misbranding and is a violation of the Drugs and Cosmetics Act. He further points to a YouTube video in which Ramdev allegedly admitted that samudraphen is an animal-based ingredient used in the product.
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Petitioner’s Efforts for Action and Court Intervention
The petitioner has filed multiple complaints with government agencies, including the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), but claims no action has been taken. The plea requests judicial intervention to address the alleged mislabeling and seeks compensation for the distress caused by the inadvertent consumption of non-vegetarian ingredients.
Court Issues Notices to Patanjali and Ramdev
The Delhi High Court has issued notices to Patanjali Ayurved, Baba Ramdev, the Central government, and Divya Pharmacy, which manufactures the product. The next hearing is scheduled for November 28. Patanjali and its co-founders, Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, have previously faced scrutiny from the Supreme Court for deceptive advertising practices and were directed to take down misleading advertisements.
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