Police have intensified their probe into Ravi, the operator of piracy platforms iBomma and Bappam TV, who has caused significant financial losses to Tollywood by illegally distributing thousands of Telugu films. Following a Nampally court order granting five days of custody, officers shifted him to the Cybercrime Police Station in Basheerbagh, where he is being questioned on multiple aspects related to the operation of piracy websites. Investigators are examining his role in hosting, streaming and circulating copyrighted content without authorization.
Authorities have already registered cases under sections related to the IT Act, film piracy, cheating, data theft and invasion of privacy. In a major development, police have now added charges under the Foreigners Act, after confirming that Ravi is a citizen of St. Kitts and Nevis. Since foreign nationals committing offences in India fall under this Act, officials included the relevant sections after verifying that he is not an Indian citizen. During interrogation, police have also obtained information regarding his bank transactions, NRI accounts and crypto wallet transfers linked to the piracy network.
Preliminary investigation reveals that Ravi allegedly pirated nearly 21,000 films over six years and operated about 66 mirror websites from the Caribbean. Police further state that he collected data from nearly 50 lakh users and sold it to cybercriminals, gaming operators and betting app networks, earning hundreds of crores through the illegal trade. With custody continuing for the next few days, officials expect more crucial