The Gujarat Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act,2024.

1. (1) This Act may be called the Gujarat Prevention and Eradication of Human Sacrifice and other Inhuman, Evil and Aghori Practices and Black Magic Act, 2024. (2) It extends to the whole of the State of Gujarat. (3) It shall come into force on such date as the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint.

2. (1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires:- (a) "human sacrifice and other inhuman, evil and Aghori practices and black magic" means the commission of any act, mentioned or described in the Schedule appended to this Act, by any person by himself or caused to be committed through or by instigating any other person; (b) "prescribed" means prescribed by rules made under this Act; (c) "propagate" means issuance or publication of advertisement. Literature, article or book relating to or about human sacrifice and other inhuman, evil and Aghori. practices and black magic and includes any form of direct or indirect help, abatement, participation or co-operation with regard to human sacrifice and other inhuman, evil and Aghori practices and black magic; (d) "rules" means the rules made under this Act; (e) "Sanhita" means the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023. (2) Words and expressions used but not defined herein, shall have respective meanings as assigned to them in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, 1954 and Sanhita.

3. (1) No person shall either himself or through any other person commit, promote, propagate or practice or cause to promote, propagate or practice human sacrifice and other inhuman, evil and Aghori practices and black magic mentioned or described in the Schedule appended to this Act. (2) The commission of any act of human sacrifice and other inhuman, evil and Aghori practices and black magic and any advertisement, practice, propagation or promotion of human sacrifice and other inhuman, evil and Aghori practices and black magic, in violation of the provisions of this Act, by any person by himself or through any other person shall constitute an offence under the provisions of this Act, and the person guilty of such offence shall, on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which shall not be less than six months but which may extend to seven years and with fine which shall not be less than five thousand rupees but which may extend to fifty thousand rupees. (3) Whoever abets the commission of, or attempts the commission of any act or offence punishable under sub-section (2) shall be deemed to have committed that offence and shall, on conviction, be punished with the same punishment for such offences in sub-section (2). (4) The offence punishable under sub-section (2) shall be cognizable and non-bailable.

4. The Judicial Magistrate of First Class shall try any offence punishable under section 3.

5. (1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, and subject to such terms and conditions as may be specified in the notification, appoint for any one or more police stations, as may be specified in the notification, one or more police officers to be known as the Vigilance Officer: Provided that, such officer shall not be below the rank of an Police Inspector. (2) It shall be the duty of a Vigilance Officer,- (i) to detect and prevent the contravention or violation of the provisions of this Act and the rules made there under, in the area of his jurisdiction and report such cases to the nearest police station within the area of his jurisdiction; and upon filing of complaint to the police station by any victim or any member of his family, to ensure due and speedy action thereon and to give necessary advice, guidance and help to the concerned police station; (ii) to collect evidence for the effective prosecution of persons contravening the provisions of this Act; and to report the same to the police station of the area in which such contravention has been or is being committed; (iii) to discharge such other functions as may be assigned to him, from time to time, by the State Government, by general or special order issued in this behalf. (3) Any person who obstructs the discharge of the official duties or the work of the Vigilance Officer, appointed under sub-section (1), shall on conviction, be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months or with fine, which may extend to five thousand rupees or with both. (4) The Vigilance Officer shall be deemed to be a public servant within the meaning of clause (28) of section 2 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023.

6. (1) Subject to the general or special orders issued in this behalf by the State Government, from time to time, the Vigilance Officer may, within the local limits of the area of his jurisdiction, with the assistance of the police officer of his area,- (i) enter and search, at all reasonable times, with such assistance, if any, as he considers necessary, any place in which he has reason to believe that an offence under this Act has been or is being committed; (ii) seize any material, instrument or advertisement which, he has reason to believe that the same has been or is being used for any act or thing which is in contravention of the provisions of this Act; (iii) examine any record, document or material object found in any place mentioned in clause (i) and seize the same if he has reason to believe that it may furnish evidence of the commission of an offence punishable under this Act. (2) The provisions of the Sanhita shall, so far as may be, apply to any search or seizure made under this Act as they apply to such search or seizure made under the authority of a warrant issued under section 97 of the Sanhita. (3) Where any person seizes anything under clause (ii) or (iii) of sub-section (1), he shall, as soon as may be, inform the Magistrate and take his orders as to the custody thereof.

7. The provision of sections 159 and 160 of the Gujarat Police Act, 1951 shall apply to acts done, in good faith by the Vigilance Officer under this Act, as if the Vigilance Officer is a Police Officer within the meaning of that Act.

8. The provisions of the Sanhita shall apply to the investigation and trial of offences under this Act.

9. The provisions of this Act shall be in addition to and not in derogation of any other law for the time being in force.

10. (1) Where any person is convicted of any offence punishable under this Act, it shall be competent for the Court convicting such offender to cause the name and place of residence of such person to be published by the police in the local newspaper where such offence had taken place, together with the fact that such offender had been convicted of the offence under this Act and such other particulars as the Court may deem fit and appropriate, to be allowed to be published. (2) No such publication under sub-section (1) shall be made until the appeal, if any, filed against such order is finally disposed of.

11. (1) The State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, and subject to the condition of previous publication, make rules to carry out the purposes of this Act. (2) All rules made under this section shall be laid for not less than thirty days before the State Legislature as soon as may be they are made, and shall be subject to rescission by the State Legislature or to such modification as the State Legislature may make, during the session in which they are so laid or the session immediately following. (3) Any rescission or modification so made by the State Legislature shall be published in the Official Gazette, and shall thereupon take effect.

12. (1) For the removal of doubt, it is hereby declared that nothing in this Act shall apply in respect of the following, namely:- (a) the form of worship such as pradakshina, yatra, parikrama performed at any religious or spiritual places, as also Varis of Varkari sect and other Varis; (b) Haripath, Kirtan, Pravachan, Bhajan, teaching of ancient and traditional learnings and arts, practice, propagation, circulation thereof; (c) to state about the miracles of deceased saints, propagation, publicity and circulation of the same and the propagation, publicity, and distribution of the literature about the miracles of the religious preachers which do not cause physical injury or financial loss; (d) the performance of prayers, Upasana and all religious rites at the places such as home, temple, dargah, gurudwara, pagoda, church or other religious places which do not cause physical injury or financial loss; (e) all religious celebrations, festivals, prayers, procession and any other act relating thereto, invoking the spirit, Kadaklakshmi, Vratvaikalye, Upavas, calling of Nawas, calling of Mannat, Moharram procession and all other religious rituals; (f) piercing of ears and nose of children in accordance with religious rituals, performance of religious rituals such as Keshlochan by the Jains; (g) the advice in regard to Vastushastra, advice by Joshi-Jyotishi, Nandibailwale Jyotishi and other astrologers and in regard to source of groundwater; (h) any traditional religious rites and acts except those mentioned above, which the State Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, specify. (2) Every notification issued in pursuance of clause (h) of sub-section (1) shall be laid, as soon as may be, before the State Legislature.

13. (1) If any difficulty arises in giving effect to the provisions of this Act, the Government may, within a period of two years from the commencement of this Act, by an order published in the Official Gazette, make such provisions not inconsistent with the provisions of this Act, as may appear to it to be necessary or expedient for removal of difficulty. (2) Every order made under this section shall be laid, as soon as may be after it is made, before the House of the State Legislature.