BANGALORE: The Karnataka Audio and Video Association has demanded the implementation of Goonda Act to take action against the piracy which is biting into the profits of the audio companies.President of the association and director of Lahari Recording Company Lahari Velu said, “Though there is a positive response from the government and the police in conducting raids in prominent places in the city, the accused will be out on bail within a few days and again start their work.”The association, with 120 audio and video companies registered with it, has already submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister D V Sadananda Gowda to implement the Act which stipulates one-year non-bailable imprisonment for the accused, if proved guilty. In the past week, the police conducted raids in Bangalore, Mangalore, Shimoga where an approximate of 1 lakh pirated CDs have been seized. In the city, DCP B R Ravikanthe Gowda led the raids.Velu added that the audio and video companies are losing around `300 crore every year due to piracy in Karnataka alone. “The rise of pendrives and memory cards has led to a downfall in the purchase of original cassettes and CDs. With the rise in piracy, the revenue that the audio companies are supposed to receive is lost,” he rued. Mohan Chabria, proprietor of Anand Audio which holds the copyright of the recent Kannada film Annabond’s songs, said, “Due to piracy, we have recovered hardly 18 per cent of the investment in audio rights so far.”The Karnataka Audio And Video Association demanded exemption on sale of audio and videos of Kannada films on the lines of entertainment tax exemption for local films.
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