ESPN Software today apparently decided to go after the big boys in its ongoing tussle with the Hinduja Group's cable arm InCable Network.

Industry sources say that based on a complaint made by ESPN at the Shivaji Park police station in the central Mumbai suburb of Dadar, a first information report (FIR) was filed this evening against two senior Incable executives - chief executive Ram Hingorani and president Rajiv Vyas.

Apparently this time ESPN took another tack from that adopted on 25 January when two affiliated cable operators, Jagdish Shah and Bimal Navsaria, of Sri Sai Vision Santa Cruz East, were arrested for allegedly stealing ESPN and Star Sports signals. ESPN's case in this round of fisticuffs with the MSO seems to be that ultimate responsiblility for all InCable's operations - whether that of affiliates, franchises or joint ventures - rests with the heads of the organisation.

On the issue of their possible arrest, sources say anticipatory bail has already been secured.

Neither InCable nor ESPN Software representatives were however available for comment on the issue.