ED begins probe against mobile apps in broadcast rights violation case

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a money-laundering case, on the basis of an April 2023 FIR by Maharashtra cyber police against eight mobile applications, including Fairplay, for allegedly re-telecasting IPL matches in violation of the broadcast rights of the Viacom 18 group.

The case involves allegations related to digital piracy and violation on Intellectual Property Rights (IPR), agency sources said.

The state cyber police are also conducting their investigation and have zeroed in on one of the suspects for further action, sources said. The Fairplay app is allegedly connected to the Mahadev Open Book (MOB) platform, whose illegal online betting activities are being probed in a money- laundering investigation since 2022.

The state cyber police case was registered on April 20, 2023, based on a complaint lodged by Vinitchandra Sharma, vice-president, legal, at the Viacom 18 group. The complainant had alleged that the matches were illegally streamed on Fairplay, and many celebrities had endorsed and promoted the betting application. Viacom18 owns several television channels and the OTT platform, VOOT. Sharma complained to the cyber police that the accused online apps had shown Viacom 18’s content without acquiring legal rights, for monetary gains thereby causing a loss to the company of over ₹100 crore.

In October 2021, Viacom 18’s s anti-piracy team found that there were seven apps—Pikashow app, Foxi app, Vedu app, Smart Player Lite app, Film Plus app, Tea TV app and Wow TV app—that were allegedly illegally showing serials, reality shows, and other content being aired on Viacom 18 platforms. The anti-piracy team later found that since March 31, 2023, to April 7, 2023, the Fairplay app had also shown Tata IPL matches live illegally.

Badshah was questioned by the Mumbai police cyber cell in the case in October 2023. Badshah’s lawyer, advocate Prashant Patil, however, had clarified that the rapper had not done anything wrong, and the Cyber police had summoned him as a witness in the case. Patil said the rapper had provided all the documents sought by the police and assured them that he will cooperate in the probe. Hindustan Times