Cyber Cell team inspects studio

Kochi, Dec 11 (UNI) A four-member team of the Hi-Tech Cyber Cell from Thiruvanthapuram today inspected the audio-video studio, owned by the wife of senior IPS officer Tomin J Thachankary, in connection with the crackdown on pirated CDs here.

Police sources said the team also verified CDs which were confiscated in earlier raids.

Meanwhile, a noted Malayalam actor, who likes to be annonymous, today urged the government to enact a law to give on-spot punishment to those who purchase pirated CDs.

He also lauded the stern measures of the government in conducting raids at various centres and termed Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan as the 'real hero'.

Instead of findng the sources of pirated items the marketing strategies of these products should be stemed, he added.

Police on Friday raided the studio and confiscated 40 CDs of Malayalam and Tamil films for verification.

A high-level police team headed by City Police Commissioner P Vijayan conducted raids at the studio following information that the studio was circulating pirated CDs to the general public.

The raids snowballed into a major controversy after Mr Achuthanandan pulled up Director General of Police Raman Srivastava for removing IG Rishiraj Singh from the state's Anti-Piracy Cell while preparing for the raid.

Later, Mr Singh was reinstated with immediate effect.

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