In a case of copyright infringement under the concept of plea bargaining, the Indian Music Industry (IMI) has won the country's biggest plea bargaining case, being awarded a record compensation.

This is unprecedented in the context of the Indian music industry with the accused agreeing to compensate IMI with a sum of Rs 120 million, the highest amount ever paid in the history of any plea bargaining case in the country.

Plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.

Intellectual property
infringement robs musicians of huge potential revenue sources. Since 1976, IMI has been fighting piracy and firmly believes that plea bargain cases can really help the music industry and all IP industries
in settling piracy related crimes.

Piracy has been evolving and expanding its footprints in India. According to IMI, physical format of piracy alone dents a loss of Rs 6 billion annually to Indian music Industry.

The industry is today witnessing newer formats of piracy such as mobile chip piracy that roughly estimates a loss of another Rs 3 billion. In total, there is a loss of Rs 20 billion by the industry on account of piracy every year.

Commenting on the occasion, IMI secretary general Savio D'souza said, "We welcome the decision of compensating Rs 120 million to the music industry. An understanding and supportive judiciary orders like this will help eradicate piracy while also reducing the clogging of cases in courts.

"Since the seizures were large (2,2500 CDs), we expected a compensation of Rs 225 million that would account for Rs 100 per CD, but are happy with the order of Rs 120 million as it is a very good precedent. This is a victory of IPR enforcement."

Source :IndianTelevision