Indian Police Crack Down on Sex Toy Sales

NEW DELHI — A team of local policemen led a raid against “sex toy shop number 32” in New Delhi’s Palika Bazar after getting tipped off about its dealings. Reports estimate that 14 sex toys were recovered and brought to justice, so to speak.

Comical though it may seem, the sale, or even possession, of dildos, dolls, clamps or anything else that might qualify as a sex toy could spell out serious jail time for Indian citizens.

Section 292(1) of the Indian Penal Code states that those selling such goods can rack up two years in the slammer for the first offense and five for the second and beyond. And the reasoning? Sex toys, the law says, appeal “to the prurient interest” and are thus obscene.

Yet, as columnist Sandip Roy from FirstPost notes, just because an item is associated with sex and pleasure doesn’t make it ipso facto “prurient,” which connotes an excessive or morbid fascination with sex.

Echoing articles from The Times of India, Roy asserts that the Palika Bazar is notorious for selling adult products and that the practice is rampant.

He concludes that legislative repression of Indian sexuality is not only hypocritical (given reports of government corruption) but has had an impact on the cultural psyche as well: “The loud Indian sex-tourists in Uzbekistan and the arrest of the sex-toy sellers of Palika Bazar are two pieces of the same problem — our inability to understand sex as an act of pleasure.”

Related:  

Copyright © 2025 Adnet Media. All Rights Reserved. XBIZ is a trademark of Adnet Media.
Reproduction in whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permission is prohibited.

More News

Sexpo Australia Relaunches as SexEx

Sexpo Australia founder David Ross has relaunched his adult lifestyle expo as SexEx.

Orion Unveils New Styles From 'Svenjoyment Bondage' Line

Orion Wholesale has released two new styles from its Svenjoyment Bondage line.

NYC Adult Stores Lose Challenge to Zoning Law, May Face Relocation

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit on Tuesday upheld a lower court’s decision to allow enforcement of a 2001 zoning law aimed at forcing adult retail stores out of most parts of New York City.

FSC Drops Florida AV Lawsuit in Wake of SCOTUS Decision

A U.S. district court judge granted on Tuesday a motion by Free Speech Coalition to dismiss the trade association’s lawsuit over Florida’s age verification law, a case that had been on hold pending the Supreme Court’s recent ruling on the constitutionality of state AV laws.

B-Vibe Spotlighted in Glamour Magazine

B-Vibe has been named Best for Anal Toys in a Glamour Magazine article on pleasure brands.

Ukrainian President Responds to Porn Legalization Petition

President Volodymyr Zelensky responded Tuesday to an OnlyFans model’s petition to decriminalize pornography in Ukraine, stating that he would wait for the legislative process to play out “in accordance with established procedure.”

Williams Trading, ANME Founders Partner for Livestream Event

Williams Trading has partnered with CalExotics, Doc Johnson, and Nasstoys to host a virtual trade show July 14-15 during ANME.

Eldorado Names Sandy Nuyt Sales Director

Eldorado Trading has appointed Sandy Nuyt as its new sales director.

Orion Debuts 'Glans Masturbation Cup Trainer' From Rebel Line

Orion Wholesale has released the Glans Masturbation Cup Trainer from its Rebel collection.

ProDx Health Introduces 'Assured MoFi ID' Testing Program

ProDx Health has introduced its new Assured MoFi ID Program for testing.

Show More