There was much furore about the leaked episode of Game of Thrones latest season which pointed fingers at the credibility of Hotstar and Star India group. Now police has arrested 4 individuals from Prime Focus Technologies, who were working on the project. Here are the official statements:
Star India Private Limited and Novi Digital Private Limited gave a complaint to the office of Special IGP (Cyber), Government of Maharashtra, informing that an episode (season 7, episode 4) of Game of Thrones, which was scheduled to be aired for viewing in USA and India on August 7, 2017 at 0730 hours (local time) was leaked and made available for viewing on the internet.
We have just learnt from law enforcement agencies about the significant progress made by them into the investigation of the breach of episode 4 of Game of Thrones Season 7, including the arrest of 4 individuals associated with our technology vendor, Prime Focus Technologies. We are extremely delighted with the speed and rigour with which the Office of the Special Inspector General of Police Mr. Brijesh Singh (Cyber), Government of Maharashtra and office of DCP Cyber Cell, Mumbai have moved on this investigation.
This is the first time in the history of Star India that an incident of this nature has occurred. We are deeply grateful to the police for their swift and prompt action. We believe that valuable intellectual property is a critical part of the development of the creative industry and strict enforcement of the law is essential to protecting it.
We at Star India & Novi Digital Entertainment Private Limited stand committed and ready to help the law enforcement agencies with any technical assistance and help they may require in taking the investigation to its logical conclusion.
Statement on behalf of Special IGP to Media:
Star India Private Limited and Novi Digital Private Limited gave a complaint to the office of Special IGP, Mr. Brijesh Singh (Cyber), Government of Maharashtra, informing that an episode (season 7, episode 4) of Game of Thrones – an HBO adaptation of a fantasy novel series, A Song of Ice and Fire authored by George R. R. Martin, which was scheduled to be aired for viewing in USA and India on August 7, 2017 at 0730 hours (local time), was leaked and made available for viewing on the internet by some persons.
Officers of the Cyber & PAW, Government of Maharashtra, conducted preliminary enquiry and basis the electronic trail and other technical material, zeroed in on Prime Focus Technologies – the agency contracted by Star India Private Limited to manage the data, as being responsible for the illegal leakage of the episode. The material collected by the Department, together with the opinion, was sent to the office of DCP (Cyber), BKC, Mumbai for further investigation and necessary penal action in accordance with law.
At this stage, Prime Focus Technologies came forward and accepting that the leakage had happened at its end, lodged a complaint (FIR) against one of its serving employee and alleging that he along with another former employee and other persons unauthorizedly gained access to the episode and thereafter illegally leaked the same for viewing by the general public over the internet.