Meet Babu KV, doctor who challenged Patanjali’s misleading ads, and won

In February 2024, the Supreme Court temporarily banned Patanjali from advertising or branding certain products claiming to cure diseases or disorders. The move came months after the apex court warned the company for misleading ads in November 2023. SC also issued a contempt notice against Patanjali and MD Acharya Balkrishna for failing to adhere to its directions despite the company claiming that they would stop such ads.

The top court rebuked Patanjali on the back of a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) based on complaints by Dr Babu KV. He is a doctor from Kerala who led the fight against Patanjali’s misleading ads. He is an ophthalmologist and RTI activist from Kannur who began a fight against Patanjali's 'misleading ads' in February 2022. He has been practising medicine for 25 years.

The 59-year-old wrote several times to various central and Uttarakhand government authorities against 'illegal' ads by Divya Pharmacy, a manufacturing unit owned by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.

According to a May 2023 report of Article 14, an online news outlet, Babu sent over 100 RTI applications and related communications to DGCI, the Ministry of Ayush, Ayurveda and Unani Services, Uttarakhand and the Press Council of India.

Months later in April 2024, the top court rejected the unconditional apologies from Patanjali co-founder Baba Ramdeb and MD Acharya Balkrishna for the company’s misleading advertisements.

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