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Porn in Print
- Available in every major Indian language. Typically, these books and magazines sell for
between Rs 20 and Rs 100. Chennai, Calcutta and Allahabad are the print hubs.
- Girlie magazines like Playboy, Penthouse, Hustler and Club to German and Scandinavian,
hardcore ones. Cost: Rs 300 to Rs 2,000. Port cities are the biggest providers.
- These magazines are used for cheaper Indian reprints, available for Rs 50 to Rs 200.
- Few original videos make it to the market; they are used for copying in thousands and
retail for Rs 150 to Rs 300. Most Indian videos are made in Chennai and Kerala -- earlier,
Mumbai was a centre as well.
Technomania
Telephone
All reached with international calls with access sites around the world, though mostly
inaccessible as payment is through international credit cards. No-holds barred site
numbers can be reached from any foreign girlie magazine. The clampdown by vsnl hasn't
sealed the route.
CDs & Video CDs
The latest available, in tune with technology. At Rs 450 upwards, these are mostly
smuggled from the US. Use is spreading as they can be played on personal computers (PCs)
as well.
Floppies
The oldest of the hi-tech, but still popular. Costs nothing except for the floppy as the
stuff, mostly down-loaded from the Internet, is copied from CD-ROMs and freely exchanged
among computer users.
Internet
Though not popular yet because of the limited number of pc users, it is already
the porn highway for India, much like anywhere in the world. With forex deregulation and
more computer use, this will only increase on the almost-anything- goes Net.
The Legal Tangle
- IPC 292. Covers everything but the possession of pornographic material -- a
contradiction in terms -- and exempts any material "in the interest of science,
literature, art or learning..." "bona fide religious purposes", or
"any ancient monument..." among similar things. The penalty is a fine between Rs
2,000 and Rs 5,000 and imprisonment from two to five years -- this rarely happens.
- IPC 293. Applies 292 codes to "whoever sells, lets to hire, distributes or
circulates under the age of 20" materials covered under Section 292. Imprisonment up
to 7 years, fines same as with 292.
- The Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act ,1986. Prohibits "indecent
representation of women through advertisements, publications, writings, paintings, figures
or in any other manner ..." Subjective, and carries harsher penalties. For the first
offence, if convicted, it's a Rs 2,000 fine and up to two years imprisonment. Subsequent
offences can bring five years and up to Rs 1 lakh in fines.
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