FIR filed against Ekta Kapoor and two others in Lock Upp plagiarism case in Hyderabad

May 6, 2022

Bollywood star Kangana Ranaut’s Lock Upp, backed by Balaji Telefilms’ head honcho Eta Kapoor, has been in the news for months now. Even before it started streaming online, the show had made headlines after the makers were accused of plagiarism. Notably, on the day of its premiere, a Hyderabad court had vacated a stay order and allowed Lock Upp to stream as planned.
Now, ahead of the finale, the show’s makers have once again found themselves in a legal soup. A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against producer Ekta Kapoor and two others in connection with the plagiarism case.

For those unversed, Prime Media’s Sanober Baig, the complainant, has alleged that the Kangana Ranaut-hosted reality show’s concept has allegedly been stolen from his idea – The Jail. As per reports, the Hyderabad-based businessman has claimed that Endemol Shine India’s Abhishek Rege “backstabbed and ditched” him and stole his idea.
An FIR has been registered against Ekta and two others for cheating and criminal breach of trust.

Sanober had first filed a legal complaint of plagiarism in February after watching the show’s promo. Last month, Sanober reportedly approached the Supreme Court (SC) demanding s stay on the show’s streaming. However, he was directed to a lower court which reportedly restrained the makers of Lock Upp from streaming the reality show from April 29.
As per reports, the case was registered in Hyderabad at Kanchanbagh police on Wednesday. The complaint against Ekta Kapoor, Abhishek Rege and one more person has been filed under sections 420, 406 and 469 of the Indian Penal Code.
The makers of Lock Upp are yet to release an official statement on the matter.