'Game of Thrones' episode leaked again

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Four people have been arrested in India for leaking an episode from HBO's "Game of Thrones" television series before it was aired in the country, police said Monday.

Already the most pirated show in TV history, the popular fantasy drama, which tells the story of noble families vying for the Iron Throne, has been plagued by leaks in recent weeks following the premiere of the seventh season.

After receiving a complaint from a company, "we investigated the case and have arrested four individuals for unauthorized publication of the fourth episode from season seven," Deputy Commissioner of Police Akbar Pathan told AFP.

Already the most pirated show in TV history, Game of Thrones has been plagued by leaks in recent weeks following the premiere of the seventh season. /AFP Photo

He said that the four who are accused of criminal breach of trust and computer-related offences would be detained until August 21 while an investigation is underway.

The case was filed by a Mumbai-based company responsible for storing and processing the TV episodes for an app, local media said.

Those arrested were company employees who possessed official credentials giving them access to the episodes, the reports added.

"Game of Thrones" has more Emmy Awards than any narrative show in history and airs in 170 countries, with viewership figures shattering records across the world.

David Benioff (L) and D.B. Weiss accept the Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series for "Game of Thrones" episode Battle of the Bastards during the 68th Emmy Awards show on September 18, 2016. AFP Photo

Scriptwriters of the show, Showrunners David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, last year announced the final two seasons being shortened from the usual 10 episodes. Season seven was reduced to seven episodes and season eight will only have six to eight chapters. They also confirmed the summer return for season seven, a departure from the usual April premieres.

The show has been teasing winter's arrival since its pilot episode in 2011, and in the latest episode preview "Death Is The Enemy" has finally moved closer to showcasing a battle between a horde of undead "White Walkers" from the frozen North and a troop of warriors led by hero Jon Snow (Kit Harington).

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Source(s): AFP