The Maharashtra Assembly on Friday passed the anti-black magic Bill amid strong objections from the BJP-led Opposition that it would actually end up protecting the fake babas and other practitioners of sorcery instead of punishing them.
And it was by a voice vote that the House passed the Bill on Maharashtra Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic. However a vital provision, in which the police could take cognisance of third party information against the dubious babas, was not included in the bill cleared by the Assembly. Nonetheless, it allows the police to take action if a family member of the aggrieved party approaches the police to pass on information. This would mean that if a neighbour or social activist sees any baba promising a miracle cure, the police will not entertain their information as the police would receive complaints only from the family members of those duped by fake god man.
BJP Leader Vinod Tawde said the purpose of the Bill would be defeated if the third party were not allowed to file complaints and added the law would be toothless.