The Tamil Nadu government on Friday issued a stern warning that persons who posses pirated VCDs and DVDs of films, as well as producers and sellers of the unauthorised material, would be booked under the Goondas Act.

This decision was made after representatives of the Tamil film industry, including matinee idols Rajinikanth and Kamal Haasan, called on Chief Minister M Karunanidhi at the Secretariat in Chennai on Friday.

The delegation also included South Indian Film Artistes Association president R Sarath Kumar, Prabhu, Tamil Film Producers Council president Rama Narayanan, FEFSI chief V C Guhanathan and Theatre Owners Association president ‘Abirami’ Ramanathan.

Information Minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi was among those who represented the government at the meeting.

After an hour long decision, it was decided that cases against offenders would be filed under Copyright Act, 1957. Action will be taken under the Goondas Act against those manufacturing, storing and selling pirated copies of feature films in the form of reels, compact discs and digital video discs.

Steps would be taken to ensure that those who were convicted under the legislation got a minimum imprisonment of six months. The government would also make appropriate recommendations to the Centre in this regard.

The film industry should also take sufficient precautionary measures, an official release said. The release also stated that the film industry also thanked the Chief Minister for allotting land for constructing houses for workers of the industry.