The legal battle over alleged question leaks has taken another major turn Thalapathi Vijayof ‘John Noygan.’ The case remains one of the biggest piracy investigations in recent Tamil cinema, with authorities investigating how the film was leaked online before it was certified by the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) and before its official theatrical release. Meanwhile, the Madras High Court Passed an important order which may change the further course of the inquiry as it progresses.
Madras High Court Bail denied in ‘John Naigan’ leak case
The Madras High Court on July 2 rejected the bail pleas of accused S Rajni, Jayaprakash and the 11th accused in the ‘John Naigan’ leak case. The prosecution told the court during the hearing that around 1.2 crore people allegedly viewed the film online before its release, making it one of the biggest piracy cases in recent years, The Hindu reported. The prosecution also claimed that the main accused, a freelance film editor, allegedly copied movie files from an editing studio to a hard drive. According to investigators, the footage was later compiled into a full film and uploaded to Google Drive, from where it allegedly spread to piracy platforms. Considering the seriousness of the charges, the court refused to grant bail to the two accused.
Chennai Shelves Continue their investigation
The prosecution told the court that the Chennai police are yet to complete the investigation and have filed only a preliminary chargesheet so far. Officials also said that two of the 21 accused are absconding and tracing them is crucial to unraveling the alleged financial transactions involved in the piracy network. The investigating agency argued that releasing the accused at this stage could affect the trial, as there are concerns about possible evidence tampering or attempts to influence witnesses. Based on these submissions, the court accepted the prosecution’s plea that the investigation should continue without bail.
The ‘John Nayagan’ piracy investigation is not over yet
The alleged leak had earlier prompted the film’s producers to approach the High Court and secure an interim order directing internet service providers to block unauthorized online screening of ‘John Noygan’. The case has since become a large-scale investigation into digital piracy and illegal circulation of unreleased films. Police are still examining digital evidence, financial links and the involvement of the rest of the accused, the investigation remains active. The high court’s latest order indicates that the investigation is far from over, as authorities continue to try to identify all those involved in one of the biggest piracy cases in Tamil cinema.
