Star Sports has initiated criminal action against GTPL Hathway for "rampant piracy" during the just concluded India-West Indies Test series. The sports channel has filed eight FIRs for "illegal transmission", five of which have been lodged in Gujarat.
"Star Sports-appointed anti-piracy agencies" conducted these raids across the four states and accordingly filed the FIRs. Among the FIRs filed in Gujarat, four of them have been filed in Ahmedabad --- Kalupur, Madhavpura, Navrangpura, Chandkheda police stations --- and one in Surat (Varaccha).
Despite repeated reminders and requests for payment of our outstanding dues, GTPL did not pay heed. We were constrained to issue a disconnection notice to GTPL as well as a public notice in accordance with the TRAI Regulations on 19th October 2013. Even thereafter, GTPL refused to budge. We were forced to switch off their signals. After the switch off, instead of seeking our signals lawfully, by resolving all outstanding issues with us, GTPL indulged in blatant piracy of our signals forcing us to initiate criminal action against them", stated Vijay Rajput, COO, STAR Sports India in a statement issued here.
One FIR each have been registered in Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand. "Piracy is just not acceptable. It is a serious offence as per the IPR act. We will pursue it strongly to bring the guilty to book." he added. Star Sports officials however did not clarify whether these raids were conducted in residential or commercial premises.
Source: Indianexpress.com
