HYDERABAD: The prime accused in the movie piracy racket case, Ravi Immandi, purchased pirated movie prints through Telegram channels, paying $100 for camcorder (CAM) versions and between $150 and $200 for High Definition (HD) prints, according to the confession report accessed by TNIE.
The report says that the accused confessed that after Covid-19, his illegal website operations expanded substantially, resulting in earnings of approximately Rs 13.40 crore. He was recently questioned by the cybercrime police for 12 days and was then sent to judicial remand.
Ravi reportedly admitted that during the second week of February 2025, he knowingly procured a pirated copy of the Telugu movie Thandel through the Telegram application from an unidentified source. He later uploaded and made the pirated content available on the websites iBomma and Bappamtv, the report says.
He reportedly confessed that his regular modus operandi involved purchasing newly released movies via Telegram channels. For unauthorised hosting and dissemination of pirated cinematographic works, he utilised the end-to-end website infrastructure and services of an entity known as GettingUp LLC, through which he developed, hosted and managed the piracy websites.
The report further mentions that Ravi received money from advertising companies linked to online betting applications, including Exoclick, Adsterra, Adcash, Popnetworks, Freelancer and Upwork. To evade taxation and conceal the source of illegal proceeds, he also diverted approximately `90 lakhs to the bank account of his sister.
Ravi reportedly confessed that he used Proton VPN and other anonymisation tools to mask his digital identity while committing the offences. He told the police that he began these fraudulent activities in 2007 while attending computer coaching classes at Ameerpet, during which time he stole a photocopy of the SSC marks memo of his roommate, V Prahlad.
Using the forged document, Ravi pursued an MBA at ICFAI University, Mumbai, and subsequently obtained a driving licence in Maharashtra in the name of Prahlad Kumar Vallela, affixing his own photograph. Using the same driving licence, he fraudulently obtained a PAN card under a false name and opened multiple bank accounts, according to the report.
To conceal financial transactions, Ravi reportedly utilised various international payment gateways, including PayPal, Bitcoin, Coinbase, Payeer, Robokassa, Capitalist and Perfect Money. “He states that he is presently unable to recall the login credentials for the said gateways and undertakes to furnish the same upon recovery,” the report stated.
In addition, Ravi operated several bank accounts in his original name, which were provided to advertising platforms to collect revenues from betting advertisements amounting to approximately `13.40 crores.
“Ravi admits that he previously operated an office in Gajularamaram at Mullapudi Usha Hospital Road, employing approximately five to 10 persons, whose full particulars he is presently unable to furnish. The accused further confesses that he impersonated V Prahlad to purchase stamp papers and prepared forged partnership deeds showing V Prahlad Kumar, Kali Prasad and K Anjaiah as partners,” the report added.