TRP Scam: Mumbai Court Denies Bail to Former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta
The Mumbai police vehemently opposed his bail application.
Former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta. Photo: LinkedIn
Media20/Jan/2021
New Delhi:Â A sessions court in Mumbai has rejected the bail application of former CEO of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) Partho Dasgupta, who was arrested in the television rating points (TRP) scam.
Dasgupta was arrested on December 24 and is one of the prime accused in the alleged manipulation of TRPs. The Mumbai police recently filed a 3,400-page chargesheet in which they annexed WhatsApp chats between Republic TV founder Arnab Goswami and Dasgupta, alleging that they colluded to inflate the channel’s ratings. Dasgupta is accused of criminal breach of trust and cheating.
In a statement issued later, Republic TV said it rejected the allegations made by the Pakistan government against Goswami. The Pakistan government’s statement, it said, was “proof of the deep-conspiracy of anti-India and anti-national forces” against Republic TV.
The Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, was organised by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. In retaliation, India had undertaken airstrikes against the terror group’s camps in Pakistan’s Balakot.
The Pakistan Foreign Office was referring to purported WhatsApp conversations between Goswami and former Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) chief executive Partho Dasgupta, which have been recorded as part of the Mumbai Police’s charge sheet in the ‘TRP scam’ case.
A file photo of Republic TV anchor Arnab Goswami. | PTI
The Maharashtra unit of the Congress on Tuesday demanded the arrest of Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, claiming that his purported WhatsApp conversation about prior knowledge of the 2019 Balakot airstrikes amounts to treason, reported
The Hindu.
In a purported WhatsApp chat on February 23 – three days before the strike – Goswami told Broadcast Audience Research Council’s former Chief Executive Officer Partho Dasgupta that it would be “bigger than a normal strike”.
“How did Goswami get the information about the military action three days before the event, on February 23, 2020?,” Congress General Secretary Sachin Sawant told the newspaper on Wednesday. “He [Goswami] himself has said that the person who gave him this information is a big person in the Modi government. All of this needs to be investigated. The way Arnab Goswami acted amounts to violation of the Official Secrets A
TRP scam: Court rejects bail plea of BARC s ex-CEO Partho Dasgupta
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Last Updated: Jan 20, 2021, 05:42 PM IST
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Synopsis
Opposing Dasgupta s bail application in the sessions court, special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray submitted that although the charge-sheet in the case has been filed, there still are multiple things which need to be investigated.
Agencies
Partho Dasgupta, former CEO of BARC India, produced at Court in connection with Television Rating Points (TRP) scam.
Mumbai: A sessions court in Mumbai on Wednesday rejected the bail application of former CEO of ratings agency BARC, Partho Dasgupta, an accused in the alleged fake Television Ratings Point (TRP) case. Dasgupta was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch from Pune district last month.
5633 File photo
The Union government is struck by a crisis of credibility caused by one of the most controversial contemporary television anchors, Arnab Goswami owner-editor of Republic TV. The transcripts of the purported WhatsApp chats between Goswami and the chief executive officer of Broadcast Audience Research Council, Partho Dasgupta, suggest a conspiracy to boost the viewership ratings of Republic TV at the cost of its rivals and competitors. Unlike hyperventilating news TV channels, the print media does not assume the roles of the investigator, prosecutor and the judge. Even while remaining firmly within the limits of freedom of speech and expression, and not violating anyone’s right to fair trial as directed by the Bombay High Court in its verdict in the case of the coverage of Sushant Singh Rajput’s suicide by Republic TV and Times Now, it needs to be underscored that Goswami has to be treated as an accused in a serious case of fraud.