Republic TV Named In Fake TRP Racket By Mumbai Police, Arnab Goswami Likely To Be Questioned Soon

While speaking to reporters, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh said that his team has identified three channels including Republic TV reportedly involved in TRP fraud.

(Image: ANI)

Mumbai: In a massive revelation, the Mumbai Police on Thursday said that it has recently busted a scam involving manipulation of Television Rating Points (TRPs). While speaking to reporters, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh said that his team has identified three channels including Republic TV reportedly involved in TRP fraud. As per the Mumbai Police Commissioner, the other two channels involved in the TRP fraud case are Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema. Singh also informed that people responsible from Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema have been arrested and strict action will be taken on others as well. The three media houses are allegedly involved in distorting the apparatus used by Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to rate television channels across the country on a weekly/monthly/quarterly basis. TRP is a tool to judge which TV programmes are viewed the most and also indicates the viewers' choice and popularity of a particular channel. The Police have accused Republic TV of bribing several households in order to increase their TRP. Republic TV's Managing director and Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami is likely to be quizzed by Mumbai Police in TRP fraud case. WATCH | Deals Were Made To Keep Republic TV On, Say Mumbai Police "Bank accounts, funds of these media houses received by advertisers will be examined by Mumbai Police and shall be seized if in case these funds found to be received from proceed of crime," Singh said. "You know the TV advertising game is worth thousands of crores. Even small manipulation of ratings can end up in massive profits. All advertisers will also be questioned to check whether they were complicit in the crime or were victims," Mumbai Police Commissioner said. The Detection Crime Branch of Mumbai police, which unearthed the TRP racket, has arrested owners of two Marathi channels, for manipulating viewership ratings, the official said. Republic TV is also involved in the TRP racket and persons responsible for this will also be arrested, whether one is director, promoter or any other employee of the channel, the Police Commissioner said. WATCH | Mumbai Police address press conference on TRP fraud: