Uttarakhand suspends licences of 14 products made by Ramdev's firm in fresh setback for yoga guru

Uttarakhand's licencing authority has reportedly suspended manufacturing licences of 14 products made by Baba Ramdev's Patanjali's Divya Pharmacy for repeatedly publishing misleading advertisements about their efficacy.

A criminal complaint has also been reportedly filed against Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna and Patanjali for violating the Drugs and Magic Remedies Act. 

The banned products, according to an India Today report, include Divya Pharmacy's Drishti Eye drop, Swasari Gold, Swasari Vati, Bronchom, Swasari Pravahi, Swasari Avaleh, Mukta Vati Extra Power, Lipidom, Bp Grit, Madhugrit, Madhunashini Vati Extra Power, Livamrit Advance, Livogrit and Eyegrit Gold.

The order is the latest setback for Ramdev whose TV shows, yoga cures and traditional medicine offerings for diseases have made him popular.

The Supreme Court of India has in recent weeks repeatedly criticized Ramdev for not complying with its directives in an ongoing lawsuit to stop misleading advertisements of some of his traditional ayurvedic medicines. The manufacturing permits of Ramdev's companies were suspended in an April 15 order by the drug regulator of traditional medicines in Uttarakhand. The order is not public yet, Reuters said. 

The manufacturing permits are "suspended with immediate effect", Mithilesh Kumar of the state regulator wrote in his order.

The case against Ramdev in the Supreme Court relates to the Indian Medical Association's allegations that his firm, Patanjali Ayurved, disparages conventional medicines and continued publishing misleading ads despite a court directive to stop them.

Ramdev has said his actions were a lapse and his company has taken out newspaper ads apologising to the public. In recent weeks, he has appeared before judges at the top court dressed in his trademark saffron-coloured robe to ask forgiveness, but the judges have so far not accepted his apology.

The judges are considering whether to press contempt charges against Ramdev or not.