TV ads promoting magical properties and superstitions illegal under Black Magic Act: Bombay High Court

• A division bench of Justice Tanaji V Nalawade and Justice Mukund G Sewlikar passed the judgment on January 5 on a criminal writ plea filed by Rajendra Ganpatrao Ambhore, a 45-year-old teacher.
• As per the ruling, the telecast of advertisements by TV channels claiming to sell articles with magical properties is illegal.

The Bombay High Court on Tuesday (05th January) passed a verdict stating that the telecast of advertisements by TV channels claiming to have special, miraculous or supernatural properties is illegal.

The television channel airing such ads will be liable under the provisions of the Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2013.

The Bombay High Court has directed the state government and Centre to create a special cell in Mumbai that can make sure no such advertisements are telecast on TV channels by separate advertisement.

The Aurangabad bench of the court, comprising Justice Tanaji Nalawade and Justice Mukund Sewlikar said that the state government is required to ensure the telecast of such advertisements on TV channels is stopped immediately in coordination with authority under Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act, 1995.