Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing has arrested six individuals in connection with the unauthorised online leak of actor-turned-politician Vijay’s upcoming film Jana Nayagan, which was reportedly circulated in HD quality ahead of its official theatrical release.

According to police, the pirated version of the film surfaced on multiple digital platforms on April 10, triggering widespread concern within the film industry. Following a formal complaint, the state cybercrime investigation centre registered a case and launched a coordinated probe, leading to the arrests on April 12.

The film, directed by H Vinoth and produced by KVN Productions, is widely considered to be Vijay’s final cinematic release before his transition into full-time politics. Its early leak has drawn strong reactions from stakeholders in the entertainment sector.

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Officials said the accused have been booked under relevant provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), the Information Technology Act, the Copyright Act, and the Cinematograph Act. The individuals were allegedly involved in uploading and distributing pirated copies via cloud storage services and shared drive links.

A police statement confirmed that digital evidence has been seized and the accused have been remanded to judicial custody. Authorities added that multiple specialised teams were deployed to conduct forensic analysis and trace the full distribution network behind the leak.

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As part of a wider crackdown on piracy, the Cyber Crime Wing has initiated action to block more than 300 infringing links. Monitoring of social media platforms, file-sharing websites, and online forums is ongoing to prevent further circulation of the content.

The police have also issued a strict advisory, warning that downloading, streaming, or sharing pirated material constitutes a cognisable offence. They emphasised that legal action will be taken against anyone found knowingly distributing or promoting access to such content.

Members of the public have been encouraged to report suspicious links through the national cybercrime reporting portal or via the helpline 1930.

Further investigation into the case is currently underway, police said.