The Allahabad High Court has quashed the criminal proceedings and summons issued to India Today Editor-in-Chief Aroon Purie and former Editor Prabhu Chawla in connection with a magazine report on child trafficking and sexual exploitation. The court held that the article aimed to highlight a serious social issue and did not promote enmity or hatred between communities.
The case originated from an India Today investigation titled “Girls for Sale” (also published in Hindi as “Ladkiyon Ki Mandi”), which exposed the trafficking of minor girls from marginalised communities under the pretext of marriage and employment. A private complaint was later filed in Lucknow alleging that the report contained remarks capable of inciting disharmony, invoking Sections 153 and 153A of the Indian Penal Code. Acting on the complaint, a magistrate had issued summons to the journalists.
Hearing the petition filed by the editors, Justice Brij Raj Singh of the Allahabad High Court observed that the intent behind the article was investigative, not inflammatory. The judgment emphasised that freedom of speech and expression under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution protects journalistic work carried out in public interest. The Court further noted that while the article referred to certain communities, it did not contain language or comparisons designed to provoke hostility. It focused instead on the exploitation of minor girls, a matter of grave concern demanding public awareness.
Concluding that no prima facie case was made out under Sections 153 or 153A IPC, the Court set aside the magistrate’s order and quashed the proceedings pending before the Special Judicial Magistrate (CBI), Lucknow.
The decision underscores the judiciary’s recognition of the vital role of investigative journalism in bringing to light social and human rights issues. It also reiterates that criminal law should not be used to curtail legitimate journalistic expression. Legal experts have described the ruling as a reaffirmation of press freedom and a safeguard against vexatious prosecution in cases where journalists act without malicious intent.
By granting relief to Aroon Purie and Prabhu Chawla, the High Court has drawn a clear distinction between reportage that informs and writing that incites. The judgment reinforces the constitutional guarantee of free expression while ensuring that the press remains accountable within the bounds of law. It serves as a reminder that public interest journalism, particularly on sensitive issues such as child abuse and trafficking, deserves protection rather than prosecution.