6 held for blackmailing producers of Baahubali 2, Rajamouli thanks cops

Baahubali 2: The conclusion has crossed 1500 crore collection.

Hyderabad: Baahubali 2 director SS Rajamouli on Monday expressed gratitude to police officials in Hyderabad for arresting a six-member gang who allegedly created a pirated copy of the movie which crossed Rs 1500 crore collection a few days ago.

Speaking to the media corps in the city, Rajamouli said that "We are very thankful from the film industry, from the Arka productions and from the Baahubali team for their efforts."

He said that a sense of fear should be there in everyone that punishment will be awarded if indulged in piracy. He said that the filmmakers should stop the leak at the source itself as it later becomes difficult to contain the damage.

Cyber crime ACP Raguvir said that the Baahubali team came to thank the police for arresting the gang in connection with the case.

On May 16, six people were arrested from Delhi and Patna for allegedly creating a pirated copy of 'Baahubali 2: The Conclusion' and for 'blackmailing its producers on the pretext of circulating the pirated clips on the internet.

One among the six accused was the owner of a theatre in Bihar who allegedly 'blackmailed' and demanded a ransom of Rs 15 lakh to stop the pirated version from uploading on the internet.

As per the complaint lodged on April 29, a man called Rahul Mehta, who said he represented an anti-piracy agency', approached the producers and told them that a pirated high definition print of the film was available.

Mehta showed them a sample video...and informed that release of pirated copy would be withheld for a few days and demanded money.

The producers kept up talking with him while informing the police. Mehta was arrested on May 11 from Jubilee Hills area of Hyderabad. He named Jitender Mehta, Taufiq and Mohammad Ali as accomplices. The three were arrested in Delhi the next day.

The SS Rajmouli'a magnum opus, starring Prabhas in the lead, has had a triumphant run at the worldwide box-office till date, garnering an estimated Rs 1,294 crore in all languages. The movie was premiered at the British Film Institute and was theatrically released over 9000 screens worldwide on 28 April 2017.

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