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Mumbai
May 3rd, 2007
The Business Software Alliance, has recently carried out a civil enforcement
action carried out against SM Technologies, a Hyderabad-based company and its
owner Suresh Babu Mandava. This is the second time the defendant has been raided
and software worth approximately Rs. 2 Crores has been seized. The raids led to
the recovery of a total of 1,843 CDs, allegedly containing pirated software of
Microsoft, Adobe, Autodesk and Symantec under various titles, versions and
copies.
Previously in September 2004, BSA filed a criminal case against the same
company and police raided the premises of SM Technologies at three locations in
Hyderabad. The criminal case is currently pending against S.B Mandava, the owner
of SM Technologies in Hyderabad District Court. The 2nd enforcement action
against the defendant underlines the commitment by the BSA to stamp out software
piracy.
SM Technologies was allegedly engaged in the illegal distribution of pirated
products of BSA members, Microsoft and Adobe in a repeated fashion, in total
disregard to the copyright law and the criminal case pending against it. The
alleged modus operandi was to create 'compilation pirated CDs', with a range of
products from Adobe, Autodesk, Microsoft, Symantec and various other software
companies. The defendant has been selling the pirated software through multiple
channels such as the Internet, resellers and directly to end-users.
Included in the list of seizure from SM Technologies was a 'Sales Brochure',
which appears to encompass detailed information on the software available and
it's pricing
On April 4th, the Delhi High Court granted an ex-parte interim injunction
restraining SM Technologies from copying/reproducing, selling pirated/unlicensed
version of the Microsoft, Adobe, Autodesk and Symantec software. The Court also
appointed two independent court commissioners, to search the two premises of SM
Technologies in Hyderabad and to seize compact discs and other
storage/replicating media, which were found to contain pirated software of
Microsoft and Adobe.
Commenting on the case, BSA, Director for Anti Piracy, Asia, Tarun Sawney
said, "The scale at which the defendant had been pirating BSA members'
software shows the intensity of piracy, and also the possible funding the
defendant is getting to be able to carry large operations. Not only will BSA
take action against this dealer, we will also target similar operations. Such
illegal businesses seriously stunt the growth of the legitimate market and the
IT sector." Page(s) 1
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