Maharashtra Police Arrests Engineer Running Thop TV App for Circulating Pirated OTT Content: Report

 Maharashtra Police Arrests Engineer Running Thop TV App for Circulating Pirated OTT Content: Report

Satish Venkateshwarlu, 28, was reportedly arrested following a complaint filed by broadcaster Viacom18 Media.

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The app was allegedly offering pirated content from various OTT platforms and satellite channels

HIGHLIGHTS

• Thop TV app maker arrested by Maharashtra cyber police
• The engineer was arrested from his residence on Monday
• Thop TV was selling content at a nominal subscription price of Rs. 35

Maharashtra cyber police have arrested a Hyderabad-based IT engineer for allegedly streaming pirated content from various over-the-top (OTT) platforms and satellite channels on an Android app called Thop TV. The engineer, Satish Venkateshwarlu, 28, was running the Thop TV app and its website for the last two years and was offering content at a nominal subscription fee of Rs. 35 per month, according to a report. He was arrested from his residence in Gurramguda, a residential locality in Ranga Reddy District, Hyderabad, on Monday, July 12.

The police said that Venkateshwarlu was arrested following a complaint filed by broadcaster Viacom18 Media, reports The News Minute. However, some other broadcasters, including Star India, had also filed a case against Thop TV in the past.

Viacom18 Media reportedly approached the Maharashtra Cyber Cell with the complaint alleging that the Thop TV app was transmitting its content without authorisation. However, the local police in the matter was said to be not informed about the arrest.