Police seize fake mobile phones during raids at Thakaraparambu in Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram: Vanchiyoor police conducted a raid at mobile shops located at Thakaraparambu based on complaints from major mobile phone companies that pirated versions of their products were largely being sold through these shops.
In the raid, police seized mobile phones and spare parts with forged trademarks of Apple and other mobile companies. Police also registered cases against three shop owners for selling the pirated versions.
The case was registered under Section 63 of Copyright Act 1957 (Amendment-2012) for copyright infringement and other rights conferred by the Act.
Shop owners Chhoga Ram, 35, of Kushalpura, Rajasthan, Vikram Kumar, 25, of Jalore, Rajasthan and Bhagavana Ram, 20, of Jaith, Rajasthan, were booked. Since the case was registered under a bailable section of the Act, the accused were later let go on station bail.
"During a market survey, the mobile companies found that pirated versions of the products were largely being sold here. They filed complaints all over India and in Thiruvananthapuram, shops at Thakaraparambu were found engaging in such illegal businesses. Based on the complaints given to the city police commissioner, the raid was conducted," said police.
However, the traders who were arrested claimed innocence and said that they did not pirate the spare parts of mobile phones. "We buy the products from Mumbai markets at wholesale prices and we are willing to share the contact details of the supplier. How would we know that the products were pirated?" said Chhoga Ram.
Police warned all the mobile shop owners against selling pirated products and raids were held in almost all the shops.