1.20 Crore People Watched Pirated Jan Nayagan After Leaked Portions Were Merged Into Full-Length Film: Madras High Court Denies Bail To Accused
The Court said that the alleged role extended beyond viewing the film to facilitating its online circulation & noted that 2 of the 21 accused remain absconding.
The Madras High Court has refused to grant bail to two accused in the alleged piracy of the Tamil film Jan Nayagan, observing that the illegally circulated version of the movie was watched by nearly 1.20 crore people on Tamilrockers and other websites.
The Bench held that the allegations against the accused were serious, particularly in light of the prosecution's claim that they played an active role in creating and disseminating the pirated version of the film. The Court also noted that two co-accused remain absconding and that releasing the petitioners on bail at this stage could hamper the investigation.
Jan Nayagan, upcoming political action thriller, starring Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, became the centre of a major piracy controversy after portions of the film were allegedly leaked even before its official theatrical release. It is scheduled to release in theatres worldwide on July 24, 2026, after officially clearing the CBFC with an 'A' certificate.
Justice C. Kumarappan observed, “…the involvement of the petitioners in merging the leaked portions of the movie into a full-length film and uploading the same on websites such as Tamilrockers and other online platforms, resulting in nearly 1.20 crore persons watching the illegally circulated version, this Court is of the view that the role attributed to the petitioners is serious in nature…”.
“…considering the submission of the learned Government Advocate (Crl. Side) that Accused Nos.13 and 21 are still absconding and that there is every possibility of the petitioners absconding or tampering with the witnesses if enlarged on bail, this Court finds no reason to grant bail to the petitioners at this stage. Accordingly, these Criminal Original Petitions are dismissed”, the Bench noted further.
Advocate E. Raj Thilak appeared for the petitioner and Advocate Arun Anbumani appeared for the respondent.
The petitioners, arrested on April 15 and June 04, 2026, sought bail under Section 483 BNSS. They contended that they had been falsely implicated and merely watched the film without having any role in its illegal release. They further argued that certain co-accused had already been granted statutory bail and sought parity.
Opposing the pleas, the State had submitted that the investigation had revealed the active involvement of the accused, particularly one of the petitioners, in combining the leaked portions into a full-length film and facilitating its circulation through Tamilrockers and other online platforms. The prosecution also informed the Court that the statutory bail granted to some co-accused had been challenged in appeal and that two accused were still absconding.
Accepting the State's submissions, the High Court held that the role attributed to the petitioners was grave and that the possibility of their absconding or influencing the investigation could not be ruled out. Observing that the investigation was still underway, the Court found no grounds to grant bail and dismissed both criminal original petitions.
Cause Title: S. Rajini v. The State rep. by the Inspector of Police Crl.O.P.Nos.16715 & 16786 of 2026
Appearances:
Petitioners: E. Raj Thilak, R. Parthiban, Advocates.
Respondent: Arun Anbumani (Crl.Side), Advocate.