ED attaches ₹10cr assets of director Shankar—Copyright case explained
What's the story
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) provisionally attached three properties worth ₹10.11cr belonging to famous film director S Shankar. The action comes as part of an ongoing investigation under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). The probe was launched after it was alleged that Shankar plagiarized the story of his 2010 blockbuster Enthiran from a work titled Jiguba by Aarur Tamilnadan.
Investigation details
Money laundering probe linked to Copyright Act violation
Reportedly, the ED's investigation is one of the first in India where a money laundering probe has been initiated on the basis of a violation of the Copyright Act. This comes after recent amendments included copyright infringement as a scheduled offense. The complaint against Shankar was filed by Tamilnadan in the 13th Metropolitan Magistrate Court, Egmore, Chennai, on May 19, 2011 (CC No. 2067/2011).
Investigation progress
ED's findings on Shankar's earnings and plagiarism evidence
The ED found that Shankar made ₹11.5cr for his work on Enthiran, including story, screenplay, dialogues, and direction. An independent report by the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) found striking similarities between Jiguba and Enthiran. It studied narrative structure, character development, and thematic elements to substantiate the plagiarism charges against Shankar.
Legal implications
ED determined Shankar's violation of Copyright Act
The ED has now concluded that Shankar violated Section 63 of the Copyright Act, 1957. This violation now falls under the category of a scheduled offense under the PMLA, 2002. The provisional order to attach Shankar's properties was issued on February 17. Meanwhile, further investigation into this matter is still underway by the agency.
Case background
'Enthiran' plagiarism allegations and court's stance
Tamilnadan had accused Shankar and the producers of Enthiran of plagiarizing the plot from his story Jiguba, published in a magazine in 1996. However, in June 2023, the Madras High Court dismissed a civil suit against Shankar and producer Kalanithi Maran. The court said there cannot be copyright over an idea or concept but didn't say if ED or any other probe agency should stay away from investigating the case.