Revision petitioners stood trial before the learned Magistrate for offences punishable under Section 292(2) r/w Section 34 I.P.C and Section 7 of Cinematograph Act, 1952 ( for short 'the Act'). Learned Magistrate convicted them under both the provisions and imposed sentences on them. Third accused, who was tried along with them, was acquitted.
2. The revision petitioners took the matter up in appeal before the Additional Sessions Judge, Kottayam. After considering the evidence, the learned Additional Sessions Judge dismissed the appeal confirming the conviction and sentence. Feeling aggrieved, the revision petitioners have come up before this Court.
3. Heard the learned Senior Counsel for the revision petitioners, Adv.Sri.M.Ramesh Chander and the learned Public Prosecutor Smt.M.Madhu Ben.
4. Learned Senior Counsel for the revision petitioners submitted that conviction of the petitioners is not sustainable in law. Before going to the relevant facts, it is apposite to consider the penal provisions under which the petitioners were convicted. Section 292 I.P.C reads as follows :
“ 292. Sale, etc., of obscene books, etc.- (1) For the purposes of sub-section (2), a book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting representation, figure or any other object, shall be deemed to be obscene if it is lascivious or appeals to the prurient interest or if its effect, or where it comprises two or more distinct items the effect of any one of its items, is, if taken as a whole, such as to tend to deprave and corrupt persons, who are likely, having regard to all relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it.
(2) Whoever-
(a) sells, lets to hire, distributes, publicly exhibits or in any manner puts into circulation, or for purposes of sale, hire, distribution, public exhibition or circulation, makes, produces or has in his possession any obscene book, pamphlet, paper, drawing, painting, representation or figure or any other obscene object whatsoever, or
(b) imports, exports or conveys any obscene object for any of the purposes aforesaid, or knowing or having reason to believe that such object will be sold, let to hire, distributed or publicly exhibited or in any manner put into circulation, or
(c) takes part in or receives profits from any business in the course of which he knows or has reason to believe that any such obscene objects are for any of the purposes aforesaid, made, produced, purchased, kept, imported, exported, conveyed, publicly exhibited or in any manner put into circulation, or
(d) advertises or makes known by any means whatsoever that any person is engaged or is ready to engage in any act which is an offence under this section, or that any such obscene object can be procured from or through any person, or
(e) offers or attempts to do any act which is an offence under this section, shall be punished on first conviction with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to two years, and with fine which may extend to two thousand rupees, and, in the event of a second or subsequent conviction, with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to five years, and also with fine which may extend to five thousand rupees.
Exception.- This section does not extend to-
(a) any book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting, representation or figure-
(i) the publication of which is proved to be justified as being for the public good on the ground that such book, pamphlet, paper, writing, drawing, painting, representation or figure is in the interest of science, literature, art or learning or other objects of general concern, or
(ii) which is kept or used bona fide for religious purposes;
(b) any representation sculptured, engraved, painted or otherwise represented on or in-
(i) any ancient monument within the meaning of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (24 of 1958), or
(ii) any temple, or on any car used for the conveyance of idols, or kept or used for any religious purpose.”
5. Section 7 of the Cinematograph Act deals with penalties and contraventions prescribed by the Act, which reads as follows :
“7. Penalties for contravention of this Part.- (1) If any person-
(a) exhibits or permits to be exhibited in any place-
(i) any film other than a film which has been certified by the Board as suitable for unrestricted public exhibition or for public exhibition restricted to adults or to members of any profession or any class of persons and which, when exhibited, displays the prescribed mark of the Board and has not been altered or tampered with in any way since such mark was affixed thereto,
(ii) any film, which has been certified by the Board as suitable for public exhibition restricted to adults, to any person who is not an adult, (iia) any film which has been certified by the Board as suitable for public exhibition restricted to any profession or class of persons, to a person who is not a member of such profession or who is not a member of such class, or
(b) without lawful authority the burden of proving which shall be on him, alters or tampers with in any way any film after it has been certified, or
(c) fails to comply with the provision contained in section 6A or with any order made by the Central Government or by the Board in the exercise of any of the powers or functions conferred on it by this Act or the rules made thereunder, he shall be punishable with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or with fine which may extend to one lakh rupees, or with both, and in the case of a continuing offence with a further fine which may extend to twenty thousand rupees for each day during which the offence continues:”
6. In this context, Section 5A of the Act is also relevant, which deals with Certification of films.
“ 5A. Certification of films.- (1) If, after examining a film or having it examined in the prescribed manner, the Board considers that-
(a) the film is suitable for unrestricted public exhibition, or as the case may be, for unrestricted public exhibition with an endorsement of the nature mentioned in the proviso to clause (i) of sub- section (1) of section 4, it shall grant to the person applying for a certificate in respect of the film a " U” certificate or, as the case may be, a " UA" certificate; or
(b) the film is not suitable for unrestricted public exhibition, but is suitable for public exhibition restricted to adults or, as the case may be, is suitable for public exhibition restricted to members of any profession or any class of persons, it shall grant to the person applying for a certificate in respect of the film an " A" certificate or as the case may be a“S” certificate, and cause the film to be so marked in the prescribed manner;
Provided that the applicant for the certificate, any distributor or exhibitor or any other person to whom the rights in the film have passed shall not be liable for punishment under any law relating to obscenity in respect of any matter contained in the film for which certificate has been granted under clause (a) or clause (b).
(2) A certificate granted or an order refusing to grant a certificate in respect of any film shall be published in the Gazette of India.
(3) Subject to the other provisions contained in this Act, a certificate granted by the Board under this section shall be valid throughout India for a period of ten years.”
As per this provision, the Censor Board constituted under the Act after examining the film in the prescribed manner, issues a certificate in accordance with the content of the film. Any violation in exhibiting a movie under the Act automatically attracts penalty under Section 7 of the Act.
7. Coming to the evidence in this case, the following aspects are relevant. The first petitioner is the licensee of the theater wherein, a film titled ''ക ട" നമ &ടട ലഹര+ '' was exhibited. Prosecution contended that the film was not a censored one and it did not carry a certificate. Second contention is that certain bits of motion picture were added to the film depicting a male and a female indulging in sexual activity. It is therefore alleged that the petitioners are liable to be punished under the aforementioned provisions.
8. PW1 is the Secretary of Mangoor Panchayath within the limits the theater is situated. According to him, on 23-02-1991, he along with the Vigilance party of the police went to the theater run by the first accused at about 12.00 noon. Police Officers informed the party that obscene film was being exhibited in the theater. Thereafter, all the persons went to the theater and questioned the projector operator (A3). He informed that spools of pornographic film were concealing in the cabin of the theater. The material prosecution witnesses deposed that the film contained scenes wherein a man raping an aboriginal lady.
Ext.P1 is the mahazar prepared by the detecting officer. It is pertinent to note that the person who prepared Ext.P1 was not examined. When cross examined, PW1 deposed that he was not aware as to whether the film was certified under the provisions of the Act and what category of certificate was issued to the film.
9. PW2 is an independent witness cited to prove that the film exhibited in the theater by the revision petitioners were obscene and it was capable of corrupting and depraving the viewer.
10. PW3 is a Police Constable, who was present in the party at the time when the raid was conducted in the theater. He also deposed in tune with PW's 1 and 2.
11. PW's 7 and 8 are Police Officers, who were in the party at the time of detection of the offence.
12. Learned Senior Counsel for the revision petitioners mainly raised two contentions. Firstly, it is contended that there is no material on record to show that the Censor Board under the Act has not issued a certificate to the film. Learned Magistrate as well as the Additional Sessions Judge held that the film having a title ''ക ട" നമ&ടട ലഹര+'' was not issued with a certificate. It is relevant to note that none of the Officers, who issued the certificate which was relied on by the courts below was examined to prove the certificate nor the same has been marked in the proceedings. Therefore, in the absence of any evidence to show that the film exhibited was one not certified, the prosecution case is bound to fall down. Section 79 I.P.C reads as follows :
“79. Act done by a person justified, or by mistake of fact believing himself justified, by law .- Nothing is an offence which is done by any person who is justified by law, or who by reason of a mistake of fact and not by reason of a mistake of law in good faith, believes himself to be justified by law, in doing it.”
13. If the film is duly certified, unless it is established that the petitioners added any obscene matter to the certified film, no criminal prosecution can be initiated against them.
14. Both the trial court and the first appellate court relied on the evidence that a Judicial Magistrate had viewed the movie at the time of investigation and made a report to the effect that the film is an obscene film falling within the mischief of Section 7 of the Act and Section 292 I.P.C. Most crucial aspect is that the Magistrate who saw the film was not examined at the time of trial to prove the report. Any report prepared at the time of investigation to be proved by the prosecution to establish its contents. Without legally proving the documents, the court is not entitled to look into them for deciding the matter either in favour or against the prosecution. The responsibility of prosecution to prove the case beyond reasonable doubt has not been discharged in this case.
15. Learned Senior Counsel placed relied on the decisions rendered by the Apex Court in Aveek Sarkar and Another v. State of West Bengal and Others ( (2014)4 SCC 257). The Supreme Court had occasion to consider the acceptability of Hicklin's test. The community standard test in a case wherein, Section 292 I.P.C has alleged the relevant dictum reads as follows :
“ Section 292(1) I.P.C makes clear that a picture or article shall be deemed to be obscene
(i) if it is lascivious;
(ii) it appeals to the prurient interest; and
(iii) it tends to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely to read, see or hear the matter, alleged to be obscene.
Later, it has also been indicated in Section 292 I.P.C of the applicability of the effect and the necessity of taking the items as a whole and on that foundation where such items would tend to deprave and corrupt persons who are likely, having regard to all the relevant circumstances, to read, see or hear the matter contained or embodied in it. To determine what is “obscenity” Hicklin (1868) LR 3 QB 360, test postulated that a publication has to be judged for obscenity based on isolated passages of a work considered out of context and judged by their apparent influence on most susceptible readers, such as children or weak-minded adults. The Hicklin test is not the correct test to be applied, rather the court has to apply the “community standard test” to determine “what is obscenity”.
While judging as to whether a particular photograph, an article or book is obscene, regard must be had to the contemporary mores and national standards and not the standard of a group of susceptible or sensitive persons. The concept of obscenity changes with the passage of time and what might have been “obscene” at one point of time would not be considered as obscene at a later period. The present case relates to a situation of the year 1994 and it is now 2014.”
16. There is no evidence in this case to think that the film allegedly exhibited in the theatre was a film not certified by the Board. Secondly, there is no evidence to show that the questionable scenes were added in a certified film. Further the report, on the basis on which the courts below convicted the petitioners, purported to be made by a Magistrate, was not properly proved. Therefore, I find that the conviction of the petitioners by the courts below cannot be legally justified.
17. Learned Senior counsel further contended that the actual perpetrator of the crime, if any, had been acquitted and persons having no direct connection with exhibition of the film have been convicted. According to him, this is not justifiable. It is true that even going by the recitals in Ext.P1 mahazar and the testimonies of material prosecution witnesses, it could be seen that pieces of obscene films were recovered at the instance of the third accused, who had been acquitted. The second petitioner is seen to be the owner of the land as per Ext.P3 certificate. There is no reliable material to show that the second petitioner, who is the Manager and licensee of the theatre was directly responsible for interpolation of a pornographic film in the movie exhibited in the theatre. They are therefore entitled to get the benefit of doubt.
In the result, the revision petition is allowed. Conviction of the petitioners under Section 292(2) r/w Section 34 I.P.C and Section 7 of the Cinematograph Act are hereby set aside. They shall be set free forthwith, if not wanted in any other case. Their bail bond shall stand cancelled. If any amount has been deposited by the appellants as a condition for securing bail, it shall be returned to them.
All pending interlocutory applications will stand dismissed.
amk
Sd/- A.HARIPRASAD,
JUDGE.
//TRUE COPY// P.ATO JUDGE