Police raids cable operators for illegally beaming matches

Kolkata, Jun 21 (UNI) Police have conducted a string of raids in the offices of some cable operators for illegally beaming Fifa World Cup matches.

The raids were conducted recently in Kolkata, Howrah, Sonarpur, Siliguri and other parts of the state following complaints by ESPN-Star Sports which had the exclusive rights to telecast the matches.

The ongoing dispute dispute between the broadcaster and the local cable operators had left 10 lakh World Cup fans in the dark in West Bengal.

It was alleged that the operators downloaded the feeds from foreign channels following pressures from their subscribers.

"Distribution of matches without authorisation from ESPN-Star Sports is a violation of copyright. The Police raids followed the Delhi High Court order that restrained 92 operators across the country from unauthorised telecast of World Cup matches," said ESPN Software associate vice-president (affiliate sales) Rajesh Kaul.

However, the West Bengal Cable TV Operators Welfare Association, a group of 20 operators unable to telecast matches, lashed out at the operator for not providing feeds despite their application a month-and-half before the World Cup.

"The regulation had made it mandatory for the broadcasters to provide feed within 30 days of application," association secretary Paresh Nath Mondol alleged.

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