The Madras High Court on Friday dismissed the bail petitions filed by nine individuals arrested for allegedly leaking the film Jana Nayagan, starring actor Vijay, online before its theatrical release. The court’s decision came after hearing arguments from the defense, the prosecution, and the film’s production company.
Defense Arguments
The counsel for the accused argued that the arrested persons had been in custody for 42 days and that some of them had already been detained under the Goondas Act. It was further contended that the accused had only watched the film out of curiosity and had not circulated it on social media platforms.
Production Company’s Objections
Opposing the bail pleas, senior counsel Vijayan Subramanian, representing KVN Productions, submitted that the film was produced at a cost of Rs 400 crore and involved the work of more than 2,000 employees. He argued that the illegal online release had caused substantial financial loss to the makers. The production house alleged that the accused had uploaded the full movie on Telegram and that the main accused, Uma Shankar, was still absconding. Granting bail at this stage could lead to tampering of witnesses and affect the ongoing investigation, the court was told.
Prosecution’s Stand
The prosecution also opposed the bail pleas, contending that the accused had not only viewed the film before its theatrical release but had also circulated it through social media platforms. Police informed the court that the absconding accused’s arrest could help recover crucial evidence in the case.
Court’s Decision
After perusing the investigation records and hearing submissions from all sides, Justice R Sakthivel dismissed the bail petitions filed by all nine accused. The court’s order underscores the seriousness of the offense and the potential impact on the film industry.
