Key points:
- The Mumbai Police arrested Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani on Sunday.
- The rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) filed a complaint through Hansa Research Group.
- Some of these households were being bribed to switch to Republic TV as well as a few other outlets, according to the police.
- A total of 13 people have been arrested in the case so far by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Mumbai Police.
In connection with its investigation into the suspected TV Rating Points (TRP) manipulation scam, the Mumbai Police arrested Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani on Sunday.
Milind Bharambhe confirmed the arrest:
The arrest was confirmed by Milind Bharambhe, the joint police commissioner (crime). Today, Khanchandani will be produced by the court. He has previously been interviewed twice by investigators.
As per the police sources:
It was discovered during the crime branch’s probe that some cable operators had been using dual LCN (Landing Channel Number) technology that would allow one channel to be watched at a time on two-channel numbers.
In order to address the LCN as well as LCN promotion, the Republic TV officials have contacted cable operators. Khanchandani knew everything because police sources said he was part of the Republic’s internal WhatsApp community where conversations took place about LCN as well as Promotion LCN talks.
Complaint filed by BARC:
In October, whenever the rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) filed a complaint through Hansa Research Group, the fake TRP scam came to light, claiming that TRP numbers were rigged by some television channels.
Hansa is one of the vendors of BARC on interaction with panel homes or meters of people.
To attract advertisers, TRP, calculated by documenting viewership data in sample households, is essential.
As per the Police:
Some of these households were being bribed to switch into Republic TV as well as a few other outlets, according to the police.
Republic TV has denied misconduct.
Another channel employee – Ghanshyam Singh, head of distribution in the western region – was arrested last month in connection with the suspected scam. Earlier this month, he was given bail.
Arnab Goswami moved the Bombay high court:
A total of 13 individuals have been arrested in the case so far by the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of the Mumbai Police.
In the meantime, Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami last week approached the Bombay high court to demand a hold in the TRP manipulation scam for further investigation by the Mumbai Police.
The petition, lodged by Goswami as well as ARG Outlier Media, which operates Republic TV, also claimed that the police in custody had tortured one of the company’s employees.
The Supreme Court refused a plea filed by ARG Outlier Media Private Limited:
It sought security from the “malicious witch hunt” allegedly being carried out by the Maharashtra authorities for all employees.
Last Monday, the Supreme Court refused to consider a complaint lodged by ARG Outlier Media Private Limited, which is the buyer of the Republic Media Network, seeking protection for the company and its workers in cases brought against them across Maharashtra.
