TRP scam: CEO of Republic TV arrested by Mumbai Police

Dec. 13: Vikas Khanchandani, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Republic Media Network was arrested by the Mumbai Police in the fake TRP manipulations case on Sunday morning. Earlier, Ghanshyam Singh, distribution head of Republic TV was also arrested in connection with the alleged TRP (Television Rating Points) rigging scam, who was later on released on bail. CEO Vikas Khanchandaniis the 12th accused to be taken in by the Mumbai Police in connection with the case of alleged TRP manipulation by some news channels.

The TRP manipulation scam came to light in October, after a Hansa official lodged a complaint with the Mumbai police following which the owner of Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema were arrested. In November, The Mumbai Police Crime Branch filed a 1,400-page chargesheet in the alleged fake Television Rating Points (TRP) case, naming six channels, including those of Republic Media Network and News Nation, as allegedly paying money to boost TRPs for around two years.

Amid the TRP racket controversy, the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) has paused the measurement of television viewership ratings of news channels for a period of 12 weeks in mid-October 2020. According to the decision, BARC will not publish the weekly individual ratings for all news channels during the period. This would include all Hindi, Regional, English News and Business News channels with immediate effect.

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. Reacting to the development, Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswani, “Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh has made false allegations against Republic TV because we have questioned him in the Sushant Singh Rajput case investigation. Republic TV will file a criminal defamation case against him.”

On 15 October, a 3-judge bench of the Supreme Court headed by justice DY Chandrachud declined to hear a plea by Republic TV challenging the Mumbai police investigation into the TRP scam. The apex court asked the channel to move the Bombay high court first before approaching Supreme Court. “You have already filed petition in high court. Entertaining this petition without high court sends message that we don’t have faith in high courts. Like any other citizens faces predicament of probe under Cr.P.C (Criminal Procedure Code) must go to high court,” court said.