Allegations of malafides related to TRP fraud case baseless: Mumbai police commissioner

The affidavit was filed in response to the allegations by ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd, which owns Republic TV, and the channel’s editor-in-chief, Arnab Goswami, in their petitions seeking quashing of the first information report registered against them in the case.

Allegations of malafides against him and his force’s investigation into the television rating point (TRP) fraud are baseless and false, Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh has said in an affidavit filed in the Bombay high court.

It cited the press briefing Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh held on October 8 and said the details of the case he provided then were based on a preliminary investigation and analytical report submitted by BARC (HT PHOTO)

The affidavit was filed in response to the allegations by ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd, which owns Republic TV, and the channel’s editor-in-chief, Arnab Goswami, in their petitions seeking quashing of the first information report registered against them in the case.

It cited the press briefing Singh held on October 8 and said the details of the case he provided then were based on a preliminary investigation and analytical report submitted by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). The affidavit added the report said three channels had bribed households to bolster their ratings.

“The Respondent [Singh] in pursuance of his duty was within the realm of law to inform the public at large about the crime registered, background, and nature of crime. It is submitted that the answering Respondent [Singh] holds periodic briefings as per the procedure and practice established in sensitive cases and was providing credible information to the extent it was fit and proper to disclose and answering the queries as received from the journalists/reporters without divulging any secret and confidential information/material collected during investigation, the disclosure whereof could affect administration of justice. It is submitted that media briefing was held strictly in confines of the law and the principles enunciated by this Hon'ble Court and the Hon'ble Supreme Court.”

Shashank Sandbhor, assistant commissioner of police, in a counter-affidavit has submitted that the petition filed by Hansa Research Group seeking reliefs similar to those sought by ARG Outlier Media in their petition indicates that it is trying to "somehow protect them from prosecution". He added the group has moved the court “to stall on-going investigations as they have revealed a nexus between the Hansa Group and the channels”.

The affidavit and counter-affidavits were filed before the bench of justices S S Shinde and Manish Pitale by senior counsel Kapil Sibal, representing the state and Mumbai police, on January 25.