Delhi High Court Orders Baba Ramdev to Remove 'Offending' Tweets About Coronil

Delhi High Court Orders Baba Ramdev to Remove 'Offending' Tweets About Coronil

On July 29, the Delhi High Court directed yoga guru Baba Ramdev to remove specific "offending" social media posts related to the use of "Coronil" as a treatment for COVID-19. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani issued the order following a plea by several doctors' associations against Ramdev, stating that the posts must be taken down within three days. Should Ramdev fail to comply, the court instructed the microblogging platform X (formerly known as Twitter) to remove the content.

The lawsuit, filed in 2021, involved doctors' associations from various medical institutions, including the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Rishikesh, Patna, and Bhubaneswar, and other medical associations across India. The plaintiffs alleged that Ramdev and his associates, including Acharya Balkrishna and Patanjali Ayurveda, made unsubstantiated claims that "Coronil" could cure COVID-19. These claims were deemed misleading, as the license for the product only recognized it as an "immuno-booster," not a cure.

The court's directive is part of an ongoing legal challenge against Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurveda for allegedly promoting misinformation about "Coronil" and using it as a marketing strategy to boost sales. The High Court had previously issued a summons to Ramdev and others involved, acknowledging the seriousness of the lawsuit.

The case underscores concerns about the promotion of alternative treatments for COVID-19 without scientific validation, highlighting the potential risks of misinformation during a public health crisis. The court's decision aims to curb the spread of such unverified information and protect public health.