Partho Dasgupta (File photo)
MUMBAI: A sessions court on Wednesday rejected the bail plea of Partho Dasgupta, former CEO of BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) arrested on December 24 in the alleged TRP manipulation case. Dasgupta’s defence advocates said they would now move the Bombay HC for bail.
Dasgupta is accused of misusing his official position and conniving with ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd and Arnab Goswami to manipulate TRPs and bring Republic TV to the No. 1 position. The supplementary chargesheet states Dasgupta received a huge kickback from Republic TV from which he brought jewellery and other valuables.
Special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray had opposed his bail plea and said that the investigations were ongoing. He said this was also demonstrated by the fact that a magistrate court had recently granted cops permission to question Dasgupta in jail. Hiray further said that there was a possibility of Dasgupta misusing his influence and tampering with evidence
A sessions court in Mumbai has rejected the bail plea of former CEO of BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) Partho Dasgupta, who is currently in judicial custody following arrest due to his alleged involvement in the TRP manipulation racket.
Arnabgate: Evaluating crime and punishment A deeper look at the potential consequences of the startling contents of Arnab Goswami’s alleged Whatsapp exchange
Image Courtesy:nationalheraldindia.com
Recently, nearly 500 pages of transcripts of what are allegedly text messages shared between Republic TV’s Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, and Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC)’s former chief Executive Officer Partho Dasgupta, were leaked.
The leaked pages are allegedly a part of a 3,000-word supplementary charge-sheet filed by the Maharashtra Police against Goswami and his co-accused in a case of alleged tampering of Television Rating Points (TRP). They not only allegedly reveal Goswami’s proximity to top government officials and influence in those circles, but also appear to suggest that this proximity might have led Goswami to have access to top secret information.
On Thursday, Shiv Sena asked the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to take action against Republic TV chief Arnab Goswami over his purported chats with former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta in connection to the Balakot airstrike.