The Hindu : `Take action against sorcerers'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jan 30, 2004

New Delhi

New Delhi

`Take action against sorcerers'

By Our Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI, JAN. 29. The Delhi High Court today directed the Delhi Government to take action against sorcerers who dupe thousands of gullible people in the name of providing magic cures for various ailments in the Capital.

Disposing of a contempt of court petition filed by Salek Chand Jain, a public interest litigant, on whose petition the High Court had earlier issued a contempt notice to the Chief Secretary of the Delhi Government, Shelja Chandra, for not complying with the court orders for taking action against ``tantriks'', Justice S.K. Kaul, asked the city Government to take all necessary steps to save people from "tantriks.''

In its reply to the contempt petition, the Delhi Government said that the authorities had so far received 300 complaints against activities of tantriks, and prosecution had been initiated in 30 of the cases.

A Division Bench comprising Justice B.C. Patel and Justice A.K. Sikri had last year asked the city Government to take action in the matter.

The petitioner said that hundreds of magic healers across the Capital were cheating naive patients but the Government was taking no action against them despite the fact that there is an Act prohibiting advertisement and publicity for providing magic cures.

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