Maharashtra Police may soon set up India's first anti-piracy squad

India's first squad against video piracy that will be formed in Maharashtra, will comprise members from the state cyber cell and Motion Pictures Association

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Maharashtra police might soon set up the country's first advanced anti-piracy squad, that will be developed on the lines of PIPCU (Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit), London. The move was prompted by the rising number of complaints of piracy of Hindi films, as received by the cyber wing of the state police. The huge financial losses incurred by the film industry owing to piracy has been cause of grave concern for the industry and the police alike.

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The Maharashtra Cyber cell will be forming a squad that will work exclusively to curb piracy of both Bollywood and Hollywood films, series, web-series and any other kind of commercial video content. The police has not yet revealed how the squad will function, but sources say that it will come up with an advanced mechanism to enable law enforcement agencies to keep a close eye on online malpractices pertaining to film piracy. The squad will also work towards tracing the origin of the piracy and will initiate a procedure to prosecute the culprit, sources said.

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According to sources in the department, Balsingh Rajput, deputy commissioner of police (cyber), who has completed a three-month training at London's PIPCU, will now spearhead the process of forming the squad. The squad will be formed by the Maharashtra cyber cell with help from Motion Picture Association (MPA). The pilot project will comprise 10 members initially, from both cyber cell and the MPA. The squad will have its office at the World Trade Center, Cuffe Parade.

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