Six persons have been arrested in connection with the leak of Jana Nayagan, the film starring Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay . The Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime police confirmed the arrests on Sunday, April 12.
According to the police, the accused were involved in uploading and circulating pirated copies of the film through cloud storage platforms and sharing drive links. They have been booked under provisions of the Information Technology Act, the Copyright Act, and the Cinematography Act.
Multiple special teams were formed within the Cyber Crime Wing to investigate different aspects of the case, including identifying and blocking infringing URLs, conducting digital forensic analysis, and tracing those involved in the distribution chain. The arrests were made based on digital evidence gathered during the probe. The accused have since been produced before a court and remanded to judicial custody, the statement said.
In an advisory, the police warned the public against downloading, streaming, or sharing pirated versions of Jana Nayagan or any other copyrighted content, stating that strict action would be taken against those who circulate or promote such material on social media, messaging platforms, or websites.
The film was leaked online on April 9, shocking fans and members of the film industry. Produced by KVN Productions, the makers have approached the court and issued a warning of criminal action against those storing or sharing the pirated content.
Jana Nayagan, billed as Vijay’s final film before his full-time political foray, also features Pooja Hegde, Mamitha Baiju, and Bobby Deol in key roles.
Originally slated for a Pongal release in January, the film’s release was stalled after the Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) flagged procedural lapses in its clearance process. The leak has drawn widespread condemnation, with actors including Kamal Haasan, Rajinikanth, and Chiranjeevi speaking out against piracy.