ESPN warns cable ops against piracy of Ind-Eng cricket series

NEW DELHI: Armed with a Delhi High Court order against piracy of the ongoing India-England cricket series, sports broadcaster ESPN Star on Saturday warned cable operators of strict action if they violated it.

The Delhi High Court had on Friday restrained 104 cable operators across India from telecasting or transmission of the ongoing cricket series, which began on July 19, without license from the broadcaster.

"We are stepping up our monitoring mechanism to tackle this issue so that the court order is followed and strict action is taken against cable operators who telecast cricket matches illegally," ESPN Star Software Vice President Rajesh Kaul said.

He said non-compliance of the order by any cable operator would tantamount to contempt of court.

ESPN, which holds exclusive rights from the England and Wales Cricket Board to telecast the ongoing matches said the court had also passed an injunction order against unnamed cable operators found to be indulging in piracy of cricket matches involving India and England.

Police authorities have been also been directed to render all assistance to ESPN to enforce the order, it added.

ESPN had contended before the court that many cable operators across the country indulged in rampant cable piracy.