The Tamil Nadu Crime Wing of the Tamil Nadu Police has cracked the high‑profile case involving the online leak of actor Vijay's much‑awaited film Jana Nayagan and has arrested three more individuals, taking the total number of arrests in the case to nine so far.

In a detailed update on Thursday, officials said the latest arrests were made after a thorough technical analysis of digital evidence and that the trio stand accused of data theft and the subsequent dissemination of the pirated copy of the film.

The Cyber Crime Wing stated that the six earlier arrests were primarily linked to the uploading and widespread sharing of pirated content across multiple digital platforms, while the three newly arrested persons are regarded as main accused in the case.

Investigators said these individuals were directly involved in the unauthorised copying and distribution of the film's reels, which led to manifold copies circulating online before the movie’s theatrical release.

According to police, the primary accused was working as a freelance assistant editor attached to another film project but had gained unauthorised access to the editing studio where Jana Nayagan was being processed.

From there, he allegedly copied the film's digital reels, converted the stolen data into a watchable movie file, and passed it on to his associates. This cloned version then entered online piracy networks, where it was rapidly uploaded to multiple file‑sharing and streaming sites, triggering a wave of downloads and illegal screenings.

"All the three accused have been arrested, produced before the Hon’ble Court, and remanded to judicial custody," the Cyber Crime Wing said, reiterating that the case is being pursued under a range of legal provisions, including the Information Technology Act, the Copyright Act, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, and the Cinematograph Act. The police have also seized laptops, storage devices, and other digital equipment believed to have been used in the crime.

The police issued a stern warning to the public against downloading, streaming, or sharing the pirated version of Jana Nayagan. "Any involvement in digital piracy, including forwarding or promoting such content, will invite strict legal action," the statement read.

Authorities urged citizens to refrain from using torrent sites, telegram channels, or other platforms circulating the film and to immediately report any suspicious links or piracy‑related activity to the Cyber Crime Wing.

For the uninitiated, Jana Nayagan, directed by H. Vinoth and starring Vijay and Pooja Hegde, is one of the most anticipated Tamil films of the year and is reportedly positioned as the final cinematic appearance of the superstar Vijay after a 33‑year career. The film's leak in high definition days before its scheduled release triggered shock and outrage among fans and members of the film industry, with several top directors, actors and producers across South Indian cinema publicly condemning the piracy and demanding swift punitive measures.

The production house, KVN Productions, had filed a formal complaint after noticing that HD clips and full‑length versions of the movie began appearing on various online platforms. Responding to the complaint, the Cyber Crime Wing had earlier identified and shut down over 300 piracy links, blocked several cloud‑storage and file‑sharing mirrors, and opened a multi‑pronged investigation into the source of the leak.

Industry bodies, including the Indian Motion Picture Producers' Association (IMPPA), have also called for stronger enforcement and long‑term measures to curb film piracy in the digital age.

With the arrests of the main technical conspirators now reported, authorities say the case has moved into a phase of consolidation and evidence‑building, aimed at ensuring that all links in the piracy chain are fully exposed and prosecuted.