EXCLUSIVE: Cable TV piracy nexus busted in Haryana, operator used ISP front for illegal transmission

In a first-of-its-kind revelation, the Dhand Police Station in Kaithal district has unearthed a large-scale cable piracy operation allegedly run by a broadband service provider. An FIR has been registered against the proprietor of M/s Shiv Broadband Service for illegally transmitting encrypted pay television signals belonging to multiple broadcasters.

Modus Operandi: Broadband Front for Cable Piracy

Investigators have found that the accused, a notorious pirate had devised a unique scheme to expand his subscriber base. While officially operating as a broadband service provider, he simultaneously offered cable TV services at throwaway prices as an add-on to internet connections. Unlike legitimate operators, he paid nothing to broadcasters and held no licenses from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

By misusing consumer-grade set-top boxes (STBs) and decrypting encrypted signals without authorization, the accused redistributed pay TV content to hundreds of local subscribers at a fraction of the legal price. This modus operandi, police say, has never before been seen in the broadband sector. “This is the first time that a broadband operator has been found indulging in cable piracy to increase his customer base,” an official familiar with the investigation said.

Senior Inspector Rekha Rani, Dhand Police Station, confirmed the development, and said, “We have raided the premises of the operator and will conduct further raids connected to the accused.”

The police are currently mapping the full extent of the illegal network, including the number of subscribers involved. Further arrests are likely as the investigation progresses, and the accused will be produced before the local court shortly.

Legal violations

According to the complaint (seen by Storyboard18) filed by JioStar, accused operating under the name M/s Shiv Broadband Service (formerly Shiv Cable) from near Aggarwal Chowk in Dhand, was found to be dishonestly receiving and retransmitting encrypted JioStar signals between July 12 and October 11, 2025.

The case involves multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, and the Copyright Act, 1957, underscoring the severity of the offence.

Under Section 303 of BNS, theft of “movable property” is a cognizable and non-bailable offence. Broadcast signals, as held by the Madhya Pradesh High Court in Jabalpur Cable Network Pvt. Ltd. vs. ESPN Software India Pvt. Ltd. (AIR 1999 MP 271), are treated as movable property under Section 2(7) of the Sale of Goods Act, 1930.

Section 63 of the Copyright Act criminalizes infringement of broadcast reproduction rights, making it a cognizable offence.

JioStar’s standard business model involves licensing signals to Multi-System Operators (MSOs), Local Cable Operators (LCOs), IPTV, and DTH platforms through authorized Digital Satellite Receiver-cum-Decoder Boxes (DSRs). Any retransmission without such authorization is treated as theft and copyright infringement.

The complaint also alleges significant revenue losses to both the government and JioStar due to non-payment of taxes and license fees, apart from broadcast theft. Police sources revealed that the accused is a habitual offender, having previously engaged in similar illegal operations.

Read More: Freedom of Expression must not be eroded by fake content, piracy threatens national security: I&B Secretary Sanjay Jaju

Read More: Broadcasters flag piracy, under-reporting concerns; demand mandatory audits for all DPOs