MIB blacklisted cable operator found broadcasting linear TV channels, booked
The First Information Report (FIR), a copy of which is available with Storyboard18, reveals that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had previously cancelled Hazi Ali’s broadcasting license in 2024 due to regulatory violations.
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A case has been registered against a cable operator, Hazi Ali, in Rani, Rajasthan, for allegedly broadcasting linear television channels owned by Jio Star India Private Limited without proper authorization or licensing. The action follows a complaint filed by Deepak Kumar Rajput, a representative of Jio Star India Pvt. Ltd., who accompanied the Rajasthan police during a raid on the premises.
The First Information Report (FIR), a copy of which is available with Storyboard18, reveals that the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting had previously cancelled Hazi Ali’s broadcasting license in 2024 due to regulatory violations. Despite the cancellation, the operator reportedly continued to transmit copyrighted content unlawfully.
Acting on the complaint, Sub-Inspector Jakir Ali, along with police officers Prakash Kumar, Rakesh, and Amritlal, conducted a raid on a relay room in Rani operated by the accused. On arrival, the police team encountered an individual who identified himself as an employee of Hazi Ali. During the inspection, Rajput used an IRD (Integrated Receiver Decoder) to verify that Jio Star programming, including popular channels like Star Utsav, was being broadcast without any legal agreement or license.
Further inquiries revealed that the local cable service, operating under the name “Krishna Cable Network,” was transmitting the content without authorization. A staff member, Lakshma, admitted to being unaware of any formal broadcasting license for the transmission.
Police have registered a case under Sections 37, 51, and 63 of the Copyright Act, 1957. The unauthorized equipment, including the IRD device used in the illegal broadcast, was seized and is currently secured in the Rani Police Station storeroom.
According to preliminary findings, the unauthorized broadcast is believed to have taken place between July 28 and July 30, 2025. Investigating Officer Sub-Inspector Panna Ram is leading the ongoing inquiry to assess the scale of the illegal distribution and to determine whether more individuals or networks are complicit.
Officials emphasized that unauthorized broadcasting of copyrighted content not only violates intellectual property laws but also undermines the media and entertainment industry’s regulatory framework. Legal action against the accused is expected to follow based on the investigation’s outcome.
Recently, Gujarat’s Gandhinagar Cyber Police, acting on a complaint from Star India, have arrested an alleged kingpin behind an illicit Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) service that attracted roughly five million subscribers and generated an estimated ₹700 crore (US $84 million) in annual revenue.
Investigators identified the accused as Mohammed Murtuza Ali, an app developer based in Jalandhar, Punjab. Operating under the brand name “BOS IPTV,” Ali is believed to have streamed thousands of premium linear television channels—including several Pakistani news networks and entertainment serials—without authorization.
