Hyderabad cops bust pan-India movie piracy racket

Hyderabad cybercrime police have busted a high-level pan-India film piracy syndicate, arresting five people and finding financial connections with top online gaming websites.

The crackdown uncovered a pipeline that spewed out hundreds of movies, including untitled ones, resulting in huge losses to the film industry.

The investigation was prompted by a complaint lodged by the Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce (TFCC) on June 5 regarding the unauthorized uploading of movies HIT: The Third Case and Single.

 "These arrests indicate the necessity for digital distribution firms to enhance online security," opined Hyderabad Police Commissioner CV Anand.

Key highlights:

• Hyderabad cybercrime police dismantle pan-India movie piracy network, arresting five individuals and uncovering links to major online betting platforms
• Network leaked over 550 films, including unreleased titles, causing massive losses to the Indian entertainment industry—estimated at Rs 22,400 crore in 2023
• Key arrests include hackers and theatre recorders, with the ringleader Cyril Infant Raj earning nearly Rs 9 lakh per month from betting platforms advertising on piracy sites

Major players are Cyril Infant Raj, a 32-year-old graduate in computer engineering, who is said to have masterminded the network, instructing agents to capture films in theatres and procure HD prints from hackers. Cyril is said to have uploaded more than 550 films since 2020, with 10 crypto wallets and three bank accounts. "He ran 10 crypto wallets and was receiving almost Rs 9 lakh monthly from betting portals that advertised on piracy websites," said Commissioner Anand.

Other detainees are Jana Kiran Kumar, who shot videos in cinemas; Ashwini Kumar, a hacker who stole 150 HD copies; Aslan Ahmed, who shot Hindi and Bhojpuri movies; and Sudhakaran, who filmed South Indian productions. Pune resident Asmit Singh allegedly exchanged cryptocurrency for Indian rupees on behalf of the accused.

Also Read: Piracy Costs the Indian entertainment Sector Rs 22,400 Crore a Year

The police highlighted the financial loss, stating that the Indian entertainment industry lost a whopping Rs 22,400 crore in 2023, and Tollywood alone lost Rs 3,700 crore in 2024. Producers such as Dil Raju and TFCC representatives have appreciated the police crackdown, appealing to the public to stay away from pirated content and online betting websites that are enabling the criminal network.