Patanjali fined Rs 11 lakh for misleading ads

Baba Ramdev promoted Patanjali Ayurveda's  production units will have to cough up a fine worth Rs 11 lakh for "misbranding and putting up misleading advertisements" of their products, a court in Uttarakhand's Haridwar has ruled.

It is found guilty of "releasing misleading advertisements by selling certain products with its labels although they were being manufactured by some other firm."

Citing Section 52 (misbranding) and Section 53 (misleading advertisement) of the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 as well as Section 23.1 (5) of Food Safety and Standard (Packaging and Labelling Regulations, 2011) Act, it ordered Patanjali to pay the fine within a month. It also directed the district food safety department to "take appropriate action if there is no improvement in the products in future."

The Consumer Complaints Council or CCC had found that Patanjali's claim for its 'Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil' that rival makers are selling mustard oil "adulterated with oil made by solvent extraction process with neurotoxin containing Hexane", was not substantiated.

In May this year, ASCI had rapped Patanjali Ayurveda for "false and misleading" claims in its various advertisements, including its hair oil and washing powder brands, while issuing list for month of March.