Ramdev's remarks on allopathy: Chhattisgarh Police has filed closure report, Centre tells Supreme Court

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said the complaints against Ramdev appeared to have been "sponsored" by some interested groups.

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday was informed that the Chhattisgarh Police have filed a closure report in connection with a case concerning remarks by yoga guru Ramdev against the use of allopathic medicines during the Covid pandemic.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta apprised a bench of Justices M.M. Sundresh and Satish Chandra Sharma that the complaints against Ramdev appeared to be “sponsored” by certain interest groups.

Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, representing Ramdev, submitted that while Chhattisgarh had filed its response as per previous directions, Bihar was yet to do so.

After hearing the submissions, the bench deferred the matter to December for further consideration.

Earlier, the complainants were directed to be impleaded as parties in Ramdev’s plea seeking a stay on the criminal proceedings.

The Patna and Raipur chapters of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had lodged complaints in 2021, alleging that Ramdev’s statements could prejudice Covid control efforts and dissuade people from seeking proper treatment.

Ramdev had impleaded the Centre, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and the IMA as parties in the case. His counsel argued that Ramdev’s 2021 statement—declaring he does not believe in allopathic medicines—offended some doctors, leading to multiple complaints and cases filed against him.

The IMA’s complaints in Bihar and Chhattisgarh led to cases being registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Disaster Management Act, 2005.