30 July : The Delhi High Court will decide whether ‘Sach Ka Samna’, a game show where contestants are asked a series of prying questions, is “obscene and against Indian culture and ethos” as contended by a Delhi-resident.
The show is based on America’s ‘Moment of Truth’ in which contestants are asked 21 questions, mostly embarrassing as they are personal in nature.
Those who pass the polygraph test become eligible to win up to Rs one crore in prize money.
Deepak Maini has approached the court alleging that the show telecast on entertainment channel Star Plus is against the values of Indian society.
“Some of the questions which were so shown are not only vulgar but the same are obscene also…The same affects social living and affecting the decorum which has to be maintained in the society,” Maini contended in his plea filed by advocate N S Dalal.
Requesting the court to direct Star Plus and Siddharth Basu, owner of Big Synergy – producer of the show, to restrain from airing the show, he submitted that the questions asked in
the course of the programme violated fundamental rights granted by the Indian Constitution, as they affect citizens’ right to social values.
He further submitted that telecast of such “vulgar” shows invite punishment under Section 294 of the Indian Penal Code.
The petitioner requested the court to direct the government for setting up a regulatory body to check the propriety of such serials. The petition will be heard on Friday.