Patanjali Ayurved co-founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna are facing a criminal case in a Kerala court over the publication of advertisements that are claimed to be misleading by the company.

The Judicial First Class Magistrate Court in Kozhikode is scheduled to address the case on June 3, when Patanjali Ayurved co-founders Baba Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna are expected to appear in person. This legal action stems from the Supreme Court's recent directive requiring their personal attendance in contempt of court proceedings initiated against Patanjali Ayurved due to its dissemination of deceptive advertisements.

The case, initiated by the Drugs Inspector in April of this year, targets Divya Pharmacy, the marketing arm of Patanjali, for alleged violations of Sections 3(b) and 3(d) of the Drugs And Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954. These sections prohibit advertisements that suggest certain drugs can enhance sexual pleasure or claim to diagnose, cure, mitigate, treat, or prevent specific diseases or disorders listed in the Act.

Patanjali Ayurved and its founders have faced scrutiny for their misleading advertising practices. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) lodged a petition with the Supreme Court against Patanjali Ayurved, alleging disparaging remarks about modern medicine in its ads. Consequently, the Court temporarily banned the advertisement of Patanjali's medicines and issued contempt notices to its founders for their misleading assertions.

The Court criticized Patanjali for misleading the public by asserting that its medicines can cure specific diseases without empirical evidence. Following apologies from Ramdev and Balkrishna, the Court mandated the publication of apologies in newspapers. Additionally, the Court rebuked the Central government for failing to enforce the Drugs and Cosmetics Rules of 1945 against Patanjali during the proceedings.