Who Is iBomma Operator Immadhi Ravi Arrested by Hyderabad Police for Film Piracy?

The Hyderabad Cybercrime Police have arrested Immadhi Ravi, one of the main administrators behind the notorious piracy website iBomma. Ravi was detained in Kukatpally shortly after he landed in Hyderabad from France on Friday.

According to investigators, Ravi had been running the platform remotely from the Caribbean Islands, managing the illegal upload and distribution of newly released Telugu films and OTT content. Officials also confirmed that nearly ₹3 crore found in his bank accounts has been frozen as part of the probe.

The arrest comes after the Telugu Film Anti-Piracy Team filed a complaint accusing iBomma of causing repeated financial losses to the film industry. Police had earlier nabbed several operators linked to the platform and began tracking Ravi’s movements across countries before intercepting him upon arrival.

Authorities said that the crackdown is far from over as they continue to identify and trace other members involved in the piracy network. Digital forensics teams are now examining devices, financial records, and communication trails connected to the case.

In September, Hyderabad police registered cases against 65 mirror websites, including iBomma and Bappam, for illegally hosting copyrighted movies. The Telugu Film Chamber of Commerce had earlier estimated that piracy resulted in losses of nearly ₹2,200 crore to the industry over the years.

During a recent meeting with filmmakers, police detailed how piracy networks function, revealing that several portals — including TamilMV, Tamil Blasters, and Movierulz, relied on in-theatre recordings to leak films online within hours of release.

This latest arrest marks another significant step in the ongoing crackdown against digital piracy in the Telugu film industry.