BABA RAMDEV WITHDRAWS SUPREME COURT PLEA TO CLUB FIRS, SAYS ONLY BIHAR CASE IS PENDING:

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed Patanjali Ayurved founder Baba Ramdev to withdraw his petition seeking the clubbing of multiple FIRs filed in Chhattisgarh and Bihar concerning his remarks against allopathic medicines during the Covid-19 pandemic. The matter was heard by a bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma.

When the case was taken up, counsel for Ramdev informed the Court that the Chhattisgarh authorities had submitted a status report indicating that a closure report in the case had been filed and was currently pending before the concerned authorities. The status of the FIR in Bihar, however, remained unclear. After considering this, the bench made it clear that it was not inclined to interfere in the matter and indicated that the petition could be closed. Following this, counsel sought permission to formally withdraw the petition, which the Court allowed.

The background of the case dates to September 9, 2025, when the Supreme Court was informed that a closure report had been filed in the Chhattisgarh FIR. At that time, the bench had noted that the prayer for clubbing the FIRs no longer survived, given that only the FIR in Bihar remained pending. Ramdev’s senior counsel, Siddharth Dave, had raised concerns that the Chhattisgarh FIR could potentially be reopened if a protest petition were filed and suggested that the status of the Bihar FIR be ascertained before disposing of the petition.

During the present hearing, counsel highlighted that there was still no clarity regarding the status of the Bihar FIR. Despite this, the Court maintained that it would not intervene, as there was no actionable relief to be granted at the moment. The bench observed that with the Chhattisgarh FIR effectively closed, the purpose of the petition for clubbing the cases was no longer relevant. Consequently, the Court allowed the petitioner to withdraw the petition without passing any further directions on the Bihar FIR.

The FIRs in question were registered in response to a video in which Ramdev criticised modern medical treatment for Covid-19, particularly allopathic medicines. Following the registration of these FIRs, Ramdev had approached the Supreme Court seeking quashing of the FIRs or, alternatively, their clubbing to ensure a uniform legal approach. He had also sought protection against any coercive action in connection with these FIRs.

By allowing the withdrawal of the petition, the Court effectively closed the matter at the Supreme Court level concerning the Chhattisgarh FIR while leaving the Bihar FIR unaffected. The bench emphasized that the remaining FIR would need to be addressed separately, in accordance with the law, and that the withdrawal did not constitute a comment on its merits or on any ongoing investigation. This decision marks the conclusion of the Supreme Court’s involvement in the case regarding the Chhattisgarh FIR and underscores the principle that petitions seeking consolidation of multiple FIRs cannot proceed if one or more of the cases have already been disposed of or closed. The Court’s approach also reflects judicial restraint in matters where no immediate relief is warranted, allowing ongoing investigations to continue independently.