SC terms IMA prez's comments on top court in Patanjali case 'unacceptable'

'IMA president gave an interview on the eve of the hearing. Why on the eve of hearing?" the bench asked

The Supreme Court on Tuesday termed as "very, very unacceptable" the statements made by Indian Medical Association (IMA) president R V Asokan targeting the apex court in a recent interview where he answered questions about Patanjali Ayurved's misleading advertisements case.

Expressing displeasure over Asokan's comments a day before the top court was slated to the hear the matter, a bench of Justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah sought his response on an application filed by Patanjali Ayurved Ltd.

Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi, appearing for Patanjali, told the bench that they have filed an application urging the court to take judicial notice of the "wanton and unwarranted comments" made by the IMA president.
 

"This is a very serious issue. They are trying to divert the course of justice Your lordships asked one or two queries and see how they are reacting as if nobody can ask anything," Rohatgi said.

Rohatgi said at the last hearing, he had handed over to the court the transcript of the interview which was published in newspapers.

"You can't say you don't know," the bench told the IMA's counsel.

Later during the hearing, when senior advocate P S Patwalia appeared for the IMA, the bench asked him about the comments made by Asokan.

When Patwalia said it was "rather not very fortunate", the bench curtly told him, "You are very mild with your words".

"Your president gave an interview on the eve of the hearing. Why on the eve of hearing?" the bench asked.