E-Paper
UP bowls a googly at Mumbai cops, registers FIR in TRP case and hands it to CBI
Six people have so far been arrested by the police in the scam, which allegedly involves inducing homes which form the sample set whose TV viewing is monitored to ensure that certain channels get higher ratings.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday took over the into alleged manipulation of Television Rating Points (TRP) after registering an FIR. The cenral agency took over the probe from Lucknow police on the recommendation of Uttar Pradesh government.
A case was registered in Lucknow’s Hazratganj police station on the complaint of a person named Kamal Sharma, which was transferred to the CBI.
The FIR has been registered against unidentified people. The charges include manipulating the TRPs using forged means.
The alleged scam was brought to light by Mumbai police earlier this month which registered a case. Republic TV is one of the four channels being investigated.
Six people have so far been arrested by the police in connection with the scam, which allegedly involves inducing homes which form the sample set whose TV viewing is monitored to ensure that certain channels get higher ratings.
The ratings are a key influencer of advertiser preferences while placing commercials.
ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd, which owns Republic TV, and its Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami moved the Bombay high court last week seeking to quash the FIR lodged by the Mumbai police against the channel in the case.
The channel filed the petition in the high court on October 16, a day after the Supreme Court refused to hear a plea of one of its senior officials challenging the summons issued by the Mumbai police.
The Mumbai Crime Branch had earlier registered an FIR under various sections of Indian Penal Code for cheating, criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy against Republic TV and its senior officials, and also against two other local regional channels.
