New Delhi, Aug. 31: A committee appointed by the information and broadcasting ministry has recommended that the government book video pirates under what is known as the Goonda Act.

The committee on piracy, which was appointed in December and has as members producers Yash Chopra, Manmohan Shetty and G. Adisheshagiri Rao, submitted its recommendations today.

Sources in the ministry said the recommendations would get minister Ambika Soni’s serious attention. “Video piracy is causing huge loss of revenue to the film industry. We want to do whatever is possible to check it,” a ministry official said.

At present, video pirates are booked under the Copyrights Act of 1957, which the film industry believes is not a good enough deterrent.

Two states — Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh — try them under the Goonda Act, whose provisions are as stringent as the now-repealed Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act.

The committee wants the Union ministry to either suggest to all states to adopt it against video piracy or pass a central legislation to this effect. The recommendation, if accepted, would make video piracy a non-bailable offence.