[Hold][100 Crore Defamation Suit] 'They are Pharma Mafia': Advocate Ojha To Bombay HC In Defamation Suit Filed By Serum Institute

The Bombay High Court today said that it will continue to hear the Rs.100 crore defamation case on Tuesday.

Advocate Ojha for the defendants today argued before the Single Judge Bench of RI Chagla. 

Advocate Ojha referred to different petitions which were filed in the Bombay High Court against the Serum Institute alleging death due to the Covieshield vaccine. 

He informed the court that Serum Institute had taken the formula from AstraZeneca UK which has been banned in 31 European Countries due to a 1 death of blood clotting. 

Calling the Serum Institute Pharma Mafia Advocate Ojha said, 

"Supreme Court of India and New York has observed that after taking vaccine one can get COVID and can be super spreader. They are the Pharma mafia. Now they say after taking the vaccine there will be less hospitalization. 60-70% of hospitalization is due to COVID. I know doctors who have died due to covid"

Further, he submitted that Cyrus Poonawala has been giving statements to news channels and asking people to take booster doses despite there being reports that booster doses can increase the chances of death by 20%. 

He argued that if the defendants were refrained from calling the plaintiffs mass murderers then they would not be able to pursue the criminal case.

 However, Justice Chagla said that the apology will ve without any prejudice to the other case and that the other case will continue.

Earlier Senior Advocate Aspi Chinoy had argued that statement like mass murderers was used against someone who has saved millions of lives. 

It was contended on behalf of the Serum Institute that the Covishield vaccine has played a key role in the vaccination program of the Government of India with approximately 219.86 crore doses of the vaccine having been administered till November 2022. Thereby it contributed heavily to the Government of India’s successful vaccination program which has resulted in averting the death of 4 million Indians and there is no justification for defamatory statements being made by Yohan Tengra and Ambar Koiri.

The Rs. 100 Crores defamation suit filed by the Serum Institute of India and Adar Poonawalla has sought a permanent and mandatory injunction against the individuals and their social media channels restraining them from making, posting publishing, reproducing, circulating, communicating, uploading defamatory and derogatory statements/posts/articles/ videos against the Serum Institute and Adar Poonawalla which are completely false, erroneous, derogatory and defamatory.