LYCA Productions denies allegations of piracy, and Savukku responds.

In response to the article in savukku containing allegations against Actor Vishal and Lyca Productions, Lyca Productions has issued a statement which reads as follows:

STATEMENT OF LYCA PRODUCTIONS

14^th May 2018, Chennai:  A few days back, savukkuonline.com, carried an article accusing Lyca Productiosn of advocating and propagating online piracy.  Lyca Productions is a leading Indian Film Production and Distribution Company.  The domain names under which the so called piracy activities were carried out are lycamovie.com and lycamoovies.com.

Lycamovie.com was created on May 21^st, 2014 under the admin name Tamil Tamilan. On May 22^nd 2014, the website was re-directed to Tamilgun.com a popular online piracy site.  On 2^nd June 2014, lycamovies.com was created under the same admin name Tamil Tamilan.  Subsequently, Lycamovies.com was also redirected to Lycamovie.com.  Activities on both Lycamovies.com and Lycamovie.com were shut down by 29^th June 2014.  At this point, we would like to clearly state that neither Lyca Group nor Lyca Productions was in anyway associated with either of the domain names – lycamovies.com and lycamovie.com

Following this, the domain name lycamovie.com was not renewed by the previous admin Tamil Tamilan and it became free.  Lyca Group undertook the domain name Lycamovie.com on July 5^th 2017.   Lyca Group could not acquire the domain name lycamovies.com as the domain name was renewed.  It is common corporate practise to acquire domain names with prefixes and suffixes as a company expands.  Presently lycamovie.com is redirected to lycaproductions.in,  Lyca Productions’s official website.  We would like to reiterate that Lyca Productions was in no way associated with lycamovie.com prior to July 5^th 2017.  Also post July 5^th 2017, there has been no online piracy activities on lycamovie.com.  Therefore the allegations against Lyca Productions are baseless and intenational to defame the company name.

As an organisation, Lyca Group has strongly advocated Anti-Piracy norms and has taken extensive steps to curb piracy for both our films and other films.   If there is any substantiating evidence against us, we are willing to clarify at any forum.

It is disappointing that a verified online site like savukkuonline.com can carry such defamatory article without clarifying with us.  That goes completely against journalistic integrity.  It is further disappionting when other media houses carry this without checking with us or clarifying the same.  We have decided to take stringent action against the media houses and personalities who have spoken against Lyca Group.

We at Lyca Productions believe in strong content creation and have always supported the film industry at every juncture.  We request everyone not to believe baseless allegations and to clarify anything with us directly.

Sd/-

Lyca Productions.

OUR RESPONSE:

Through our sources, we received information that the domain lycamovie.com which has been hosting pirated movies belonged to LYCA group.  Following the information, the domain history of lycamovie.com was searched.

1) It was found that the domain’s name server came into the maintenance of LexSynergy Limited, a domain management firm on 4^th September 2015 itself. This domain management firm is the authorised representative of Pettigo Comercio Internacional  Lda,  Rua das Hortas, 1, Edificio do Carmo, 5, Andar – Sala 500, Madeira, Portugal and WWW Holding Company Limited, 3^rd Floor Walbrook Building, 195, Marshwall, London.   We would like to point out that the entire Lyca group is owned by the firms Pettigo Commercio Internacional Lda and WWW Holding Company Limited.

2) Such being the case, Lyca Productions in its response to savukku expose, has stated that “Lyca Group undertook the domain name Lycamovie.com only on July 5^th 2017”.  There appears to be an ulterior motive for Lyca Productions denying ownership of the domain lycamovie.com during the period between September 2015, and July 2017.

3) The domain lycamovie.com was redirected to lycaproductions.in years before July 5^th 2017 which could not have been done without the connivance / cooperation of the then administrator of lycamovie.com.

4) Lyca Productions in their response had claimed that lycamovie.com was shut down on 29^th June 2014.  The domain lycamovie.com was actively hosting pirated content even after the date mentioned by Lyca i.e. 29^th June 2014. It is for Lyca Productions to explain why they have issued a statement containing not half-truths, but lies.

5) The statement of Lyca Productions that “lycamovie.com was not renewed by the previous admin Tamil Tamilan and it became free. Lyca Group undertook the domain name Lycamovie.com on July 5^th 2017” is contrary to truth.  Pettigo Comercio Internacional  Lda, had filed a petition and won the domain lycamovie.com in an arbitration proceedings before an international forum as early as 2^nd August 2015.

6) The admin email address of lycamovie.com remains as domains@lexsynergy.com from 4^th September 2015 to till date. Why this email remains as administrator email from 2015 to till date could only be explained best by LYCA Productions.

7) As detailed above, the statement of Lyca Productions that, “We would like to reiterate that Lyca Productions was in no way associated with lycamovie.com prior to July 5^th 2017” is a complete lie.

8)  The domain lycamovie.com and lycamovies.com were registered and owned by one and the same person. While Lyca Productions in their response had admitted that they could takeover lycamovie.com alone and they could not take over lycamovies.com makes the mystery deeper and warrants a further probe.

As mentioned in your statement, savukkuonline.com, is a verified online portal and we always ensure and verify facts before publishing any content.  We maintain highest level of integrity and Lyca Productions are welcome to mail all evidence / documents in this regard to savukkuonline.com at jayajayakanthan@gmail.com which will be duly considered.

Editorial Team

Savukku online.

P.S :  We would like to express our immense gratitude to social reformer / piracy crusader / aspiring MLA / Hon’ble Thiru.Vishal for giving us an opportunity to venture into the film industry and thus expose its “Dark Net”.