The Madras High Court expressed shock over a petition from an individual claiming to be an advocate registered with the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry.
The petitioner, Raja Murugan, sought to prevent police interference at a brothel he operates.
Murugan, who claimed to practice at the Madurai bench of the Madras High Court, submitted that his ‘Friends For Ever’ trust in Nagercoil provides sex services, oil baths, and counseling for consenting adults around the clock. He sought to quash an FIR filed against him in February at the Nesamani police station in Nagercoil under various sections of the Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act, IPC, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). He was arrested but later released on station bail.
In a separate plea, he sought action against police personnel who allegedly assaulted him following his arrest. Murugan argued that the police action contravened the ratio laid down by the Supreme Court in Budhadev Karmaskar Vs The State of West Bengal (2010), which held that voluntary sex work is not illegal. The bench of Justice B Pugalendhi noted that Murugan had misunderstood the context of that judgment, clarifying, “No doubt adults can have sex, but soliciting people and luring them into sexual activities are illegal.”
Murugan also sought permission to open additional branches in Tamil Nadu and demanded Rs 5 lakh in compensation for police interference that halted his business for five months. The court dismissed his petition and directed that a cost of Rs 10,000 be credited to the District Social Welfare Officer in Kanniyakumari. Additionally, the High Court instructed the trial court to conclude the case against Murugan within five months.
Expressing shock that an advocate was not only running a brothel but also demanding protection to continue operating it, the bench stated, “It is high time the Bar Council realizes that the reputation of advocates in society is diminishing. The Bar Council should ensure that members are enrolled only from reputed institutions and restrict enrollment from less reputable institutions in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, and other states,” as per reports.
As Murugan failed to produce his enrollment certificate and law degree certificates, the court also directed the Bar Council of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry to verify the authenticity of his documents.
