Baba Ramdev, a well-known yoga guru and businessman, is facing legal troubles in Kerala, where 26 cases have been registered against him in various courts for allegedly promoting misleading advertisements related to Patanjali Ayurved’s products. The cases stem from violations of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 (DMR Act), which prohibits advertisements claiming magical cures for diseases.
On February 20, 2025, Sujith Kumar K, the Drugs Controller of Kerala, submitted an affidavit to the Supreme Court, detailing how Patanjali Ayurved Limited had violated the DMR Act. The affidavit highlighted that advertisements in several print media falsely claimed that Patanjali products could cure or prevent diseases, prompting legal action against both the company and the newspapers that published these ads. Notable publications under scrutiny include Mathrubhumi, Malayala Manorama, Kerala Kaumudi, and The Hindu. In total, 31 prosecutions have been initiated against Patanjali’s Divya products, with 26 cases officially registered, while five others are pending due to non-cooperation from print media outlets.
Cases have been filed in various courts across Kerala, including Judicial First Class Magistrate courts in Kozhikode, Kottayam, Kakkanad, Thiruvananthapuram, Kattappana, and Palakkad, along with Chief Judicial Magistrate courts in Thrissur and Kollam. On February 1, 2025, the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Palakkad issued non-bailable warrants against Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna, Managing Director of Patanjali Ayurved, for failing to appear in court. Additionally, the Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kozhikode has summoned Baba Ramdev to appear in person in May for another case.
Between 2016 and February 2025, Kerala has witnessed a major crackdown on misleading advertisements under the DMR Act, with 116 prosecution cases filed, leading to 32 convictions. The remaining cases are pending, and Patanjali Ayurved’s legal troubles continue to mount.
