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Synopsis

The Supreme Court on Friday asked the States of Bihar and Chhattisgarh to file a response to a plea filed by Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev to club multiple FIRs for making statements against Allopathic medicines during the Covid-19 pandemic.

A bench of Justices M M Sundresh and Prasanna B Varale gave two weeks time to the States to file their affidavits stating the status of the FIRs and if charge sheets have been filed.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, meanwhile, opposed the plea before the court for making Indian Medical Association a party to the instant proceedings.

"They are opposing to Ayurveda...Let it be between the complainant and the prosecution. We don't want strangers to be here," he said.

However, it was stated before the court that the petitioner impleaded IMA as a party.

The court posted the matter for consideration in July after summer vacations.

In 2021, Baba Ramdev moved the top court seeking stay of proceedings in FIRs lodged against him across India for his alleged remarks against effectiveness of allopathic treatments to cure Covid.

“IMA has unleashed Civil and Criminal cases through different chapters. They filed a suit before the DHC. We filed a 32 petition because he has nothing against anybody," his counsel had said.

Referring to certain precedents on a similar matter, it was added that this was also a case of public figure and the same rules should have been apply.

Further reference was made to the clarification note issued by Baba Ramdev upon which the court called to produce the original transcripts.

“Everybody has a freedom of Speech,” his counsel submitted.

On June 17, 2021 the Chhattisgarh police had registered an FIR against Baba Ramdev basis a complaint lodged by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), for allegedly spreading ‘false information’ about allopathic medicines used for the treatment of Covid-19.

IMA members Dr Rakesh Gupta, Dr Vikas Agrawal, Dr Asha Jain and others filed the complaint at Civil Lines police station against Baba Ramdev, accusing him of publishing misleading and threatening remarks on social media.

The doctors claimed that Ramdev’s statement was misleading and was an attempt to put peoples’ lives at risk.

It was also alleged that from tarnishing the reputation of medicos, Ramdev had “questioned the efficacy of vaccination”.

Baba Ramdev has been booked under Sections 188, 269, 504 of the IPC and provisions of Disaster Management Act, 2005. Stay has been sought on the proceedings in FIRs lodged by Indian Medical Association (IMA) in Patna and Raipur and has prayed for a transfer of the FIRs to Delhi.

Case Title: Swami Ramdev Vs Union of India