Indian pay-television broadcaster Star Sports has taken legal action against multiple-system cable-television operator GTPL Hathway for alleged illegal transmission of the former’s channels during India’s recent Test cricket series against the West Indies.
The IndianTelevision.com website said that Star Sports had filed as many as eight First Information Reports against GTPL in Gujarat, Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand. An FIR is a written document prepared by police organisations in India when they receive information about the commission of a criminal offence.
Anti-piracy agencies – appointed by Star Sports – conducted raids across the four states before filing the FIRs. Of the eight, five have been filed in Gujarat while one each has been filed in Maharashtra, Bihar and Jharkhand.
Star Sports India chief operating officer Vijay Rajput said: “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. GTPL has consistently failed to pay us the monthly subscription fees even though they have been collecting money from the subscribers. They have a huge outstanding [fee] which just cannot be ignored.”
India’s Test series against the West Indies was a hugely-anticipated event in the country as it coincided with legendary cricketer Sachin Tendulkar’s 200th, and final, Test match.