Challenges loom over Yoga Sage Ramdev Baba as an item from his enterprise Patanjali Ayurvedic fell short in the obligatory quality assessment, prompting a court to sentence the implicated parties, including the company representative, the distributor, and the retailer, to a half-year confinement.
Patanjali Navratna Elaichi Soan Papdi floundered the quality check following the procurement of samples by the District Food Safety Officer of Pithoragarh, Uttarakhand, from a retail outlet in Berinag Market in 2019, in response to raised apprehensions about the merchandise.
On the 18th of May, the Chief Judicial Magistrate of Pithoragarh levied both a fine and six months of imprisonment upon Abhishek Kumar, the deputy general manager and distributor of Patanjali Ayurveda Limited, merchant Leeladhar Pathak, and Ajay Joshi, Assistant Manager of Kanha Ji Distributor Private Limited.
Apart from the incarceration, monetary penalties were also levied upon all three. The defendants have been convicted under pertinent sections of the Food Safety and Standards Act.
Providing further elucidation on the matter, Pithoragarh Food Safety Officer Rajesh Sharma disclosed that on September 17, 2019, samples of Patanjali Navratna Cardamom Soan Papdi were procured from Leeladhar Pathak’s establishment situated in Berinag Market. The specimen was dispatched to Udham Singh Nagar Government Laboratory, whereupon analysis in 2020 revealed the product’s unsuitability for consumption.
Subsequently, the sample underwent reevaluation at the Central Lab in Ghaziabad, which again determined the product’s inappropriateness for consumption. Consequently, charges were brought against Leeladhar Pathak, distributor Ajay Joshi, and Patanjali’s Abhishek Kumar.
During the court proceedings on Saturday, the tribunal under the leadership of Chief New Magistrate Pithoragarh Sanjay Singh adjudged the trio to six months of imprisonment pursuant to Section 59 of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. Leeladhar Pathak and Ajay Joshi incurred fines of Rs 5,000 and Rs 10,000, respectively, while Abhishek Kumar was fined Rs 25,000. Assistant Prosecution Officer Ritesh Verma represented the complainant in the litigation.
Patanjali is already enmeshed in a controversy concerning deceptive advertising, wherein the Supreme Court has reprimanded the corporation and is currently deliberating on the contempt notices directed at Baba Ramdev and others involved in the case.