Delhi police arrests Maya IPTV operator over alleged content piracy

Delhi Police have arrested the alleged operator of Maya IPTV following raids at two locations in Haryana and Delhi on November 4, 2026, as part of an enforcement action against the unauthorised distribution of copyrighted television channels and video-on-demand (VOD) content.

The raids were conducted at the residence of the accused, identified as Tarun Verma, in Bahadurgarh, Haryana, followed by a search operation in Rajouri Garden, Delhi. During the operation, police arrested Verma, who was allegedly operating Maya IPTV, an application suspected of being part of an illegal IPTV network distributing live television channels and copyrighted content belonging to JioStar and other content owners without the requisite authorisation.

According to Delhi police, Verma was primarily functioning as a reseller of the IPTV service, selling subscriptions to end users on a commission basis. Investigators found that he was also operating two other applications alongside Maya IPTV and had allegedly been involved in these activities for approximately two years.

The investigation further indicated that Verma was earning around Rs 10,000 per month through these operations.

A Delhi police officer privy to investigation said, "Preliminary investigation suggests that the accused was earning around Rs 10,000 every month by reselling IPTV subscriptions on a commission basis. He had allegedly been involved in the operation for approximately two years." 

"We are investigating the angle if the accused was also involved in a larger piracy network," the officer said. 

During the enforcement action, police seized a mobile phone allegedly used by Verma to operate Maya IPTV and the other applications. Following the operation, the Maya IPTV application has become non-operational.

Verma remains under arrest as police continue their investigation to establish further details about the network, its functioning and the individuals potentially associated with its operations.

FIR cites alleged copyright infringement and unauthorised streaming

The enforcement action is linked to an FIR registered by the Delhi Police Crime Branch on May 29, 2026, following a complaint filed on behalf of JioStar India Private Limited.

The FIR relates to allegations of unauthorised streaming, hosting, retransmission and commercial exploitation of copyrighted broadcast content, including television channels and sporting content owned by JioStar and made available through its digital platform, JioHotstar.

The complaint alleged that illegal IPTV services were using application-based distribution systems and digital infrastructure to provide unauthorised access to copyrighted content. Such services typically distribute content through Android applications and IPTV players, enabling users to access television channels and other video content through subscription-based arrangements.

In its complaint, JioStar alleged that the unauthorised distribution of its content constituted copyright infringement and resulted in commercial exploitation of its proprietary works without permission.

The FIR was registered under Sections 318(4), 61(2) and 3(5) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Sections 63 and 65 of the Copyright Act, 1957, and Section 66(D) of the Information Technology Act, 2000.

Investigation into distribution network continues

The arrest of Verma and the seizure of the mobile phone are part of the ongoing investigation into the alleged unauthorised distribution network. Police are continuing their efforts to obtain additional information about the operation of Maya IPTV and the manner in which subscriptions were distributed to end users.

The investigation is expected to examine the application’s functioning, the subscription-based reseller model and the broader network through which unauthorised content was allegedly made available.

With the application now non-operational following the enforcement action, the investigation will seek to establish further details about the people and infrastructure involved in its operations.

The case highlights the enforcement challenges faced by broadcasters and content owners in tackling unauthorised IPTV services, which can distribute premium television and digital content through third-party applications and subscription-based models.