Republic TV owners named as accused in TRP case

The development came on a day Republic TV’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was asked to attend the hearing for proposed chapter proceedings initiated against him by Mumbai police.

The Mumbai Police crime branch named the owners of Republic TV, News Nation and Maha Movie and some of their staff as accused in the case of alleged manipulation of television rating points (TRP). The matter came to light on Saturday when the Mumbai Police crime branch, in their remand plea filed before a magistrate’s court seeking extension of custody of two persons arrested in the case, which HT has seen, mentioned that the owners of the TV channels have been named as accused, though the names were withheld.

Arnab Goswami’s lawyer attended the hearing and requested his client be exempted from physically appearing for the hearing. The police accepted the request and kept the next hearing of the matter on November 7. (Satish Bate/HT Photo)

When asked who the owners of the three channels were, Milind Bharambe, joint commissioner of police (crime) said, “We have not named anyone specific yet.”

The development came on a day Republic TV’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami was asked to attend the hearing for proposed chapter proceedings initiated against him by Mumbai police.

Goswami’s lawyer attended the hearing and requested his client be exempted from physically appearing for the hearing. The police accepted the request and kept the next hearing of the matter on November 7.

“On Saturday (October 24) Goswami was asked to appear and submit his version on the police’s say (opposing his previous version). But he did not appear for the second time. He would now have to appear before me on November 7,” said ACP Jambavdekar.

When contacted by HT, Republic TV’s lawyer did not comment on the matter.