The Maharashtra Cyber Digital Crime Unit (MCDCU) has taken down 203 websites providing pirated content in the last one year, a top government official said Friday.
The MCDCU, a wing of Cyber Police, was set up last October.
The 'pirate websites' which it shut down were illegally providing films, TV shows, music, software, games and e-books among other things to 160 million users per month by violating content producers' copyright, said Brijesh Singh, Inspector General of Police (Cyber).
The MCDCU is a first of its kind initiative in South Asia where entertainment industry and government are collaborating to protect intellectual property, Singh claimed.
MCDCU sleuths found that some of the pirate websites contained malware or malicious software programs which steal personal details of users. Some websites also provided pornographic content, said Balsing Rajput, Superintendent of Police, Cyber Cell.
Apart from taking down such websites by contacting domain registrars, Internet Service Providers (ISP) and government authorities, the MCDCU also reaches out to brand owners, advertising agencies and payment gateways, asking them to shun such portals, he said.
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It helps cut down the advertising and subscription revenue of these websites, he added.
It is estimated that Indian media and entertainment industry loses Rs 30,000-50,000 crore annually due to digital piracy.
MCDCU sleuths found that whenever a big-ticket film was released, it became available within minutes on some pirate websites.
Cracking down on digital piracy also helps promote 'ease of doing business' in the country as it protects the intellectual property of companies, said Singh.