Ads, sale of Yantra claiming

Lokmat News Network

Aurangabad, Jan 6: The sale of items, claiming to possess miraculous or supernatural powers, through television advertisements is illegal. Justices TV Nalawade and Mukund Sewlikar of the Aurangabad bench of the Bombay High Court held that the TV channel, telecasting such advertisement, would be liable for action under the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.

A Petition was filed in HC that in March 2015 advertisements were seen on TV channels propagating special, miraculous and supernatural properties/qualities in Hanuman Chalisa Yantra, which the advertiser was selling.

The advertisement stated that by using Yantra, the businessmen started making huge profits, unemployed got jobs, student improved performance, sick persons recovered from illness. The Yantra had brought happiness to grieved. The persons, who had lost hopes of marriage, got married. The false propaganda was made to exploit the persons superstitious by nature. It was also said that the Yantra was prepared by one Baba Mangalnath. The celebrities like Manoj Kumar, Anuradha Paudwal and Anup Jalota were in the advertisement and their experiences of miracles of Yantra and benefits received by them were quoted. The concessional price of Yantra was Rs 4,900.

The HC held that such propaganda and sell of items of so called miraculous and superpower is an offense punishable under the Black Magic Act. The advertisers are abetting such crime so they are also offenders. Moreover, such advertisements are also not permitted as per Cable Television Act. This is also offense of cheating as per the IPC.

The HC held that propagation for sale by advertisement of any article by giving it any name as Yantra or otherwise, by attaching the name of any God or any Baba to articles to have special, miraculous and supernatural properties or qualities and making representation that these articles will help human beings to become happy, to make progress in business, advancement in career, improvement in education, recovery from any disease is illegal and such propagation, advertisement falls under Section 3 of the Maharashtra Black Magic Act. The HC directed State and Central Governments to create cells in Mumbai to see that no such advertisements are telecast on TV channels by separate advertisement or in the name of programmes in the State of Maharashtra.

Reformists strove but scientific spirit still not developed

Reformists like Mahatma Phule, Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar and others, who worked to remove evil practices and spread awareness against superstition in the society, were born on this soil. Still, the scientific temper and the spirit of inquiry and reform have not yet been developed. Many educated and highly educated persons get attracted to the things like mantra-tantra, black magic. Due to this superstitious approach of rich and poor, they are being exploited by so-called Babas by selling articles by giving them names like Yantra and Ganda.

Justices TV Nalawade and Mukund Sewlikar.

(Bombay High Court, Aurangabad Bench)