A sex survey conducted by a weekly supplement circulated with the Mumbai Mirror has landed the publisher in trouble.
Sam Dastoor was arrested on Tuesday morning on the charges of sale of obscene material and sale of obscene objects to young persons before being released on bail.
The survey in question—‘Mercury Rising: How hot is Mumbai?’—was published in the November 12-18 issue of Mirror Buzz and explored sexual trends in the city.
‘‘We arrested Sam Dastoor for violations under the Indian Penal Code and Young Persons (Harmful Publications) Act,’’ said Deputy Commissioner of Police (Enforcement) S Y Apranti. ‘‘We have also booked him under the Press and Registration of Books Act for particulars—name of printer, place of printing and name of publisher—not being printed in the magazine.’’
Apranti added that the pictures of the two pairs of models published in the magazine were obscene and should not have been circulated in public. ‘‘Moreover, the survey gives a wrong impression of Mumbai, making it seem as though free sex is available in the city. We received complaints from a delegation of six NGOs in the city, after which we acted,’’ he said.
Dastoor’s arrest is being seen as part of the morality campaign—the ban on dance bars at the top of the list—led by the Nationalist Congress Party and its Deputy Chief Minister R R Patil. Patil also heads the Home Department and the police report to him.
In the past, the police—and Upranti—have acted against other media organisations and film producers in similar fashion, slapping obscenity charges.
Asked whether the police were trying to muzzle the Press, Apranti said: ‘‘It does not matter whether a person belongs to the Press or the police or any other institution. If he has broken the law, he shall be punished.’’
Mumbai Mirror editor Meenal Baghel, however, said such surveys were a bona fide journalistic activity the world over.
‘‘This is not the first time such a survey has been conducted. As for the images published, they were quite tasteful. I am surprised with this whole affair,’’ she said.