Delhi HC cites 2021 tweet criticising Ramdev in Balkrishna rights suit

Patanjali co-founder Acharya Balkrishna's personality rights suit before the Delhi High Court has cited a 2021 social-media post by Supreme Court advocate Avani Bansal. The post linked to Bansal's article criticising Baba Ramdev's statements on allopathy during the second wave of Covid-19, and questioned whether a mere apology sufficed for alleged false news.

X notified Bansal on August 20 of the civil lawsuit, advising her to seek legal counsel or contest the case. The suit, filed under CS(COMM) 291/2026, seeks protection for Balkrishna's name, image, voice and persona. On March 24, Justice Tushar Rao Gedela granted interim relief against material he found prima facie defamatory or vulgar, but said public figures must accept criticism and that satire, parody and news fall under free speech.

Researcher Dr Aakanksha Kumar told Medianama that Bansal's post uses Balkrishna's name in the course of criticism and legal commentary, not for commercial benefit, and does not constitute defamation or privacy violation. The court has not yet ruled on whether the specific 2021 post violates Balkrishna's personality rights.