New Delhi: The Delhi government on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that it has written to the Information and Broadcasting Ministry and others for stopping misleading commercials in media claiming magical cures for diseases.

It has come to the notice of the Drugs Control department that several persons/firms are giving advertisements in the electronic media as well as in the print media about certain drugs/articles/machines whose usage, as per their claims, would lead to the cure of such diseases, disorder or condition.

"These advertisements are often published with a view to misleading the general public," the Delhi government told Acting Chief Justice A K Sikri and Justice Rajiv Sahai Endlaw.

The Court was hearing a public interest litigation seeking prosecution of self-proclaimed godman Nirmaljeet Singh Narula, alias Nirmal Baba. The case was disposed of after the Court was told that no material was found to try him for allegedly duping people in the garb of providing magical treatment. The government filed its reply after the High Court had on May 16 issued notices to it and others on the PIL filed by A K Jain through his lawyer Sugriv Dubey.

The government also said that besides the Ministry, it has also written to Press Information Bureau, Press Council of India, and Advertising Standards Council of India for bringing the information to the knowledge of "media houses that such commercials are in contravention" of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act.

"The Act prohibits the advertisement of certain drugs for treatment of certain diseases, disorders," the Drugs Control Department said.