आर. राजगोपाल बनाम तमिलनाडु राज्य
| Citation | AIR 1995 SC 264, (1994) 6 SCC 632 |
| Court | Supreme Court of India |
| Date | 7 October 1994 |
| Year | 1995 |
| Bench | B.P. Jeevan Reddy, Suhas C. Sen JJ. |
| Acts/Articles | Article 19(1)(a), Article 21 |
| Category | Constitutional Law |
Key Principle Established
Right to privacy is a fundamental right under Article 21. Once a matter becomes part of public record, the right to privacy no longer subsists.
A Tamil magazine sought to publish the autobiography of a condemned prisoner (Auto Shankar) which contained allegations against public officials. The State sought to restrain publication.
The Court established the right to privacy as implicit in Article 21 and laid down that no one can publish anything concerning private life without consent. However, once a matter becomes part of public record (court proceedings, government documents), the right to privacy no longer applies.
This was the first comprehensive exposition of right to privacy by the Supreme Court, predating K.S. Puttaswamy (2017). It balanced privacy against press freedom and public interest.
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Read AnalysisThis judgment summary is for educational and research purposes. While care has been taken to accurately represent the ratio and findings, for authoritative reference always consult the original judgment text from official sources (SCC Online, AIR, Manupatra, or court websites).
22+ years of practice before Punjab & Haryana High Court and Supreme Court of India.