ED Attaches ₹10 Crore Assets of Director Shankar in Copyright Violation Case | CineChitram

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has attached three immovable properties worth approximately ₹10 crore belonging to renowned Kollywood director Shankar. The assets were seized on February 17 under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), the agency stated in a recent announcement.

Background of the Case

In 2011, a petition was filed by Arur Tamilnathan, alleging that Shankar had copied the story Jiguba to make the 2010 film Robo. The petitioner accused the director of violating copyright and intellectual property laws.

A report from the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) supported the allegations, stating that Jiguba and Robo shared significant similarities. Based on this, the ED stated that Shankar had violated Section 63 of the Copyright Act. The agency confirmed that further investigation into the case is ongoing.

Robo, featuring Rajinikanth in the lead role, was a major box office success. Reports from the Kollywood industry indicate that Shankar received a remuneration of ₹15 crore for directing the film.