The Mumbai police on Monday filed a remand report before a Mumbai court in the fake TRP (Television Rating Points) scam investigation stating that Republic TV paid ‘lakhs of rupees’ to Partho Dasgupta, the former Chief Operating Officer at Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) to manipulate the TRPs in Republic’s favour. However, Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami has denied the charges in a very strongly worded sent to his employees.
"Dasgupta misused his official position and manipulated TRP of specific news channels broadcast by ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd such as Republic Bharat Hindi and Republic TV English," the police alleged in its remand note. The remand note names ‘Republic owners’ as accused, but mentions that "Dasgupta, while serving as CEO of BARC, got involved in the conspiracy along with Arnab Goswami and others for manipulation of TRP.” ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd is the company that owns Republic TV.
The Mumbai police alleged that Arnab paid “lakhs of rupees” to Partho Dasgupta, with which the latter “bought many expensive items and jewellery.” The police said it has seized a Tag Heuer watch worth Rs 1 lakh and silver and imitation jewellery worth Rs 2.22 lakhs from Dasgupta. The police have named other BARC employees believed to be involved as well.
Meanwhile, in an internal email to his employees, Arnab has dismissed the charges by the police, calling them “absurd claims” and “trashy fiction.”
“We have not become Number 1 by the absurd claims of the Mumbai Police that we rigged the ratings by giving Rs. 400 to every viewer or by distributing watches, silver-coated jewellery and imitation stones to make this Network number 1,” the email by Arnab to his employees says.
“That is not just a lie, it is downright stupid to concoct these pieces of trashy fiction to undermine our glorious achievement and our hard-fought and hard-earned right as the number 1 News Network in India. Anytime you hear these inanities, remember those behind these stupidities are very afraid of the truth. When people like them point fingers at us, it makes us stronger,” Arnab has said to his employees.
He also lashed out at the Maharashtra government, stating that he has been similarly targeted for his coverage of several scams and issues in the past.
“Please know this, frustrated politicians are working in cahoots with members of the frustrated Lutyens Media in targeting Republic. These are truly hollow and shallow individuals whose greatest obsession is Republic,” Arnab claims in the email.
Mumbai police began the probe into the TRP scam after the BARC, a rating agency, filed a complaint about the rigging of TRP by some channels. TRP, measured by recording viewership data at sample households, is crucial as it helps TV channels attract advertisers. It was alleged that some of these households were being bribed to tune into certain channels to ramp up their TRP.
Earlier, the Mumbai police had addressed a press conference, alleging that Arnab and BARC ‘colluded’ to falsely show Republic TV as the number one channel with the most TRP. The police said BARC had carried out a random test and collected samples of 40 weeks during which TRP of 'Times Now' news channel was higher, but allegedly, with rigging, the rating of Republic TV was increased. This was allegedly done by tampering with barometers, the police said.