Delhi High Court Issues Summons To Baba Ramdev On Doctors' Suit For Allegedly Spreading Misinformation About Allopathy Amid Covid

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday issued summons to Yoga guru Baba Ramdev in a suit filed against him by several doctors' associations for allegedly spreading misinformation about COVID cure through his statements against allopathy.

Justice C Hari Shankar, who granted four weeks time to Ramdev and other defendants in the matter to file their written statements, clarified that it has not expressed any opinion on the merits or the relief sought in the suit.

Noting the stand taken by Senior Advocate Rajiv Nayar appearing on behalf of Ramdev that although he does not opposed the issuance of summons but opposes the allegations in the suit, the Court ordered thus:

"In view of this, permission to institute suit is allowed. Issue summons in the suit. Summons accepted on behalf of defendants. Written statements accompanied by affidavit to be submitted within four weeks."

During the course of hearing today, Justice Hari Shankar also told Nayar that the videos of Ramdev showed that he was scorning the allopathic treatment.

"From the video clips, it's clear that your client has scorn allopathy treatment. If you want me to reproduce those clips, it will be detrimental to your client," he added.

"We are at the stage whether we are to allow the suit or not. There is definitely a case for institution of suit. But it's not a case that it's such a frivolous case that suit may not be instituted," the Court said.

While the Court issued summons and sought response of Ramdev, other defendants in the matter include Acharya Balkrishna, Patanjali Ayurveda, Google, Facebook, and Twitter.

During the previous course of hearing, the Court remarked that making profit is neither a public nuisance nor a wrongful act.

The oral remarks after Senior Advocate Akhil Sibal appearing for the plaintiff submitted before the Court that Baba Ramdev, with the objective of making commercial gain, mislead the public into believing that Divya Coronil tablets are a cure to the Covid-19 infection

The plea had alleged that Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev was causing misrepresentation to the public at large by spreading misinformation saying that allopathy was responsible for Covid-19 deaths and prompting people to not get hospitalised.

The plea was moved by the following associations: Three Resident Doctors Association of All India Institute of Medical Sciences at Rishikesh, Patna and Bhubaneswar; Association of Resident Doctors, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research Chandigarh; Resident Doctors Association Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College, Meerut; Telangana Junior Doctors Association, Hyderabad; Union of Resident Doctors of Punjab.

According to the plea, Baba Ramdev was creating doubts in the minds of people with respect to efficacy of not only allopathic treatment but also other Covid-19 vaccines.

Furthermore, it has been averred that being an influential person, Ramdev's statements can influence the public at large and thereby divert them from opting allopathy treatment which is prescribed as a standard form of care even by the Government.

Case Title: Resident Doctors Association, AIIMS (Rishikesh) & Ors. v. Ram Kishan Yadav alias Swami Ramdev & Ors.