S JEELANI Vs. STATE

JUDGEMENT

(1.) THE appellant who is the publisher of the weekly newspaper 'Spotlight' published in Calcutta and was the publisher thereof, in September and October 1953 has been ordered under Section 7, Press (Objectionable Matter) Act, 1951, to deposit Rs. 5000/ -as security in cash or in equivalent thereof in Government securities as he might choose to electThis order was passed on a complaint by the Commissioner of Police that the issues of the newspaper on 5 -9 -1953, 26 -9 -1953 and 10 -10 -1953 contained objectionable matters as set out in the complaint.

(2.) TWO matters arise for determination. First, whether the Sessions Judge is right in his decision that the matters mentioned which appeared in the abovementioned issues as set out in tne petition of complaint were objectionable; and secondly if he is right in his decision that there were sufficient grounds for demanding security for Rs. 5000/ -from the publisher of the newspaper under Section 7 of the Act.

(3.) OBJECTIONABLE matter is defined in Section 3 of the Act in these words,'The expression 'objectionable matter' means any words, signs or visible representations which are likely to -