Major haul of pirated CDs; five held

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:  Launching a major offensive against thriving sales of pirated CDs, the Anti-Piracy Cell of the police has arrested five persons who are suspected to be members of the state-wide piracy network. An Anti-Piracy Cell team led by SP Rajpal Meena, acting on a tip off,  conducted a night-time vehicle checking at two places on the National Highway and arrested the five. A huge cache of compact discs, comprising  blank discs, pirated copies of new releases, including ‘Arabiyum Ottakavum P Madhavan Nayarum’ and pornographic videos were recovered from two Alto cars, which were also seized. The arrested have been identified as Ajeeb, Hyrish, Dileep, of Kottarakkara and Nisam and Kunjumon, of Kayamkulam. According to Rajpal Meena, the arrest were effected after the police were informed of the clandestine transportation of CDs from Beemapally area here. The police team stationed at Kazhakoottam tried to block a car which was heading towards Attingal side. The car evaded the police checking and speeded off. The police stopped the car near Kazhakkoottam Mission Hospital after a chase. Three persons from Kottarakkara were arrested  with a huge cache of pirated discs from the car.  The second arrest was made near Pettah toll booth. The two brothers, Nisam and Kunjumon, were arrested from there. The number of confiscated CDs would come around 37,000, of which 17,000 are blank discs purchased from Beemapally area to copy the pirated films. The police said that the arrested were in charge of supplying pirated CDs in central Kerala. The modus operandi of the piracy racket has also been unearthed. The Anti-Piracy Cell officials said that they had got conclusive evidences of participation of certain traders from Beemapally area. The arrested were later charged under non-bailable offences and sent to judicial custody.