6 Arrested By Hyderabad Police For Blackmailing Baahubali 2: The Conclusion Producers
The gang demanded Rs 15 lakh from the Baahubali 2: The Conclusion producers for not uploading a pirated copy of the film on the Internet
Hyderabad police has arrested six persons for allegedly trying to extort money from the blockbuster film Baahubali 2: The Conclusion, by threatening to circulate a pirated copy. Among the arrested is the owner of a theatre in Bihar. The gang demanded Rs 15 lakh from the producers for not uploading a copy on the Internet, Deputy Commissioner of police Avinash Mohanty told a section of the media on Tuesday.
Image Source: facebook/baahubalimovie
As per the complaint lodged on April 29, a man called Rahul Mehta, who said he represented an `anti-piracy agency’, approached the producers and told them that a pirated high definition print of the film was available. “Mehta showed them a sample video…and informed that release of pirated copy would be withheld for a few days and demanded money,” Mohanty said. The producers kept up talking with him while informing the police. Mehta was arrested on May 11 from Jubilee Hills area of Hyderabad.
He named Jitender Mehta, Taufiq and Mohammad Ali as accomplices. The three were arrested in Delhi the next day. Jitender and Taufiq have past criminal record and were arrested by Jabalpur police in Madhya Pradesh for piracy of the Baahubali-The Beginning in 2015.
Divakar Kumar, owner of a theatre in Begusarai district of Bihar, and one Chandan were arrested from Patna. Monu, who is absconding, and Divakar made digital copy of the film, the DCP said.
For digital distribution of a film, theatre owners get `encryption key’. The accused used this key to make a pirated copy, DCP Mohanty said. The gang regularly made pirated copies of Bollywood films, he added. Further probe is on.
Thumbnail Image Source: twitter/baahubalimovie
Image Source: facebook/baahubalimovie
As per the complaint lodged on April 29, a man called Rahul Mehta, who said he represented an `anti-piracy agency’, approached the producers and told them that a pirated high definition print of the film was available. “Mehta showed them a sample video…and informed that release of pirated copy would be withheld for a few days and demanded money,” Mohanty said. The producers kept up talking with him while informing the police. Mehta was arrested on May 11 from Jubilee Hills area of Hyderabad.
He named Jitender Mehta, Taufiq and Mohammad Ali as accomplices. The three were arrested in Delhi the next day. Jitender and Taufiq have past criminal record and were arrested by Jabalpur police in Madhya Pradesh for piracy of the Baahubali-The Beginning in 2015.
Divakar Kumar, owner of a theatre in Begusarai district of Bihar, and one Chandan were arrested from Patna. Monu, who is absconding, and Divakar made digital copy of the film, the DCP said.
For digital distribution of a film, theatre owners get `encryption key’. The accused used this key to make a pirated copy, DCP Mohanty said. The gang regularly made pirated copies of Bollywood films, he added. Further probe is on.
Thumbnail Image Source: twitter/baahubalimovie
