Surti e-pirate caught for stealing new movies

AHMEDABAD/ SURAT: He might seem to like your boy next door minding his own business with a knack for computers. But click on to this particular online group and you will find all the latest flicks right from Jurassic Park 3D to Aashiqui 2 that can be downloaded from the 'torrents'.
In a first, the state CID (crime) with Surat police has caught a 27-year-old youth on Monday for uploading torrents for movies and other digital properties after allegedly hacking into various film production company computers and 'stealing' their digital copies.
The financial model of the entire business, however, has not yet been deciphered by investigators.
According to Varachcha police, Niraj Gadhvi, 27, a resident of Krishna Complex on Lambe Hanuman Road, has been charged for hacking a computer system, copyright infringement and cheating. Gadhvi was accused in a case filed by Popat Desai, a representative of a film production company.
Gadhvi has studied up to class XII after which he entered into the online advertising business.
Torrents, used worldwide by millions of web users for free download of content ranging from movies, songs, games to ebooks, are generated by users for sharing.
With newly-introduced laws, it has been considered against the protection of copyright law.
It is for the first time the state police has laid its hands on an uploader of digital content. Sources told TOI that police has found two accounts in a bank in Adajan where Gadhvi used to receive money. The economic model is being explored, said investigators.
BG Sarvaiya, inspector of CID (crime), who conducted the raid, said that they have seized hard discs and other digital equipments from Gadhvi's residence that has been sent for forensic analysis.
TK Patel, inspector of Varachcha police station, told TOI that Gadhvi was traced through his online activities where he uploaded some online flicks for download.
"What all we have been able to understand of this affair is - he used to hack the official website of the film company, get a copy of the movie and then upload it for other users worldwide. As it results into financial loss for producers, they decided to pursue the issue and tracked him after which a complaint was filed with CID (crime)," he said.