3 min readCoimbatoreApr 14, 2026 02:17 PM IST
The Coimbatore police arrested a cable operator for illegally broadcasting H Vinoth’s upcoming, much-delayed film Jana Nayagan, starring ‘Thalapathy’ Vijay, on a local television channel. The channel belongs to the cable network Rasi, owned by S Palanisamy, a 44-year-old resident of Karumathampatti.
The illegal broadcast took place days after Jana Nayagan was leaked on the internet. Palanisamy has been arrested under sections of the Copyright Act, Information Technology Act, the Cinematograph Act, and the Cable Television Networks (Regulation) Act.
As per The Hindu, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party member Mohanapriya’s office alerted the police after the leaked print of Jana Nayagan had been broadcasted on a Rasi channel on April 11 till 21 minutes post the interval. The police took swift action, raided Palanisamy’s office, and also seized four hard disks and a computer as evidence. An investigation will now determine how Palanisamy got hold of the leaked print of Jana Nayagan in the first place.
The Tamil Nadu cybercrime wing has also arrested six individuals in connection with the unauthorised online leak of Jana Nayagan in HD. Acting on a formal complaint regarding the film’s piracy across multiple digital platforms, the state cybercrime investigation centre registered a case and arrested the accused on April 12.
The individuals have been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Information Technology Act, the Copyright Act, and the Cinematograph Act. Digital evidence was seized from the accused. They were produced in the court and remanded to judicial custody. Dedicated teams continue to monitor social media platforms, websites, and file-sharing services to curb further circulation.
The police also issued a strong advisory, warning that downloading, streaming, or sharing pirated copies of Jana Nayagan or any copyrighted content constitutes a cognisable offence. “Strict action will be taken against individuals who knowingly circulate or promote access to pirated content,” a statement by the cybercrime wing added.
Jana Nayagan was leaked online on April 10, triggering a wave of outrage across the film fraternity. Several clips — including Vijay’s five-minute introduction scene and the title card — circulated widely on social media platforms like X, WhatsApp, and Telegram. Vijay’s fellow Tamil stars like Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, and Suriya came out in strong condemnation of the online leak.
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The film, backed by KVN Productions, was widely touted as Vijay’s final cinematic outing before he entered full-time politics. The leak comes at a particularly sensitive time for the project, which has been mired in a months-long battle with the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) over certification.
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