The Mumbai police on Monday told a local court here that Partho Dasgupta, arrested former CEO of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), in alleged connivance with another ex-senior BARC official and Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, manipulated the television rating points (TRP) of Republic TV and its Hindi arm. The Mumbai police s Crime Branch, in its remand note submitted before a magistrate s court here, sought further custody of Dasgupta, claiming he was the mastermind of the alleged TRP scam. It said Dasgupta and other accused (both arrested and wanted), in conspiracy, allegedly manipulated the TRP of specific TV news channels to obtain financial gain.
Former BARC CEO rigged random sampling of 40 weeks: Mumbai Police
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Last Updated: Dec 28, 2020, 08:49 AM IST
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The Mumbai Police also told the court that they have come across certain email exchanges between Dasgupta and another accused Romil Ramgarhia, the former chief operating officer (COO) of BARC, discussing ‘illegal manipulation’ of ratings of Republic TV and Republic Bharat.
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The police also told the court that as the CEO, Dasgupta used his seniority to pressurise employees under him to manipulate TRPs.
Mumbai: The Mumbai Police, while seeking the custody of Partho Dasgupta, the former CEO of TV rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), told the court that Dasgupta manipulated data to keep the Times Now news channel at the number two slot in spite of a higher viewership.
The Mumbai Police has been investigating the TRP manipulation case ever since the BARC, a rating agency, earlier this year complained to the cops that TRPs were being rigged by some channels.
The fake TRP scam came to light in October when BARC filed a complaint through Hansa Research Group, alleging that certain television channels were rigging TRP numbers.
Hansa had been tasked with installing barometers, which record viewership data (which channel has been watched and for how long) at sample households. The channels are accused of paying money to households to keep their shows on.
TRP scam: Mumbai court extends former BARC CEO’s police custody till December 30
TRP scam: Mumbai court extends former BARC CEO’s police custody till December 30
Mumbai’s Esplanade Magistrate Court extended former CEO of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) Partho Dasgupta’s police custody in the TRP scam case till December 30.
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UPDATED: December 28, 2020 20:34 IST
Ex-BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta is accused of manipulating data to show a few favoured channels as number one. (File photo)
Mumbai’s Esplanade Magistrate Court extended former CEO of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) Partho Dasgupta’s police custody in the TRP scam case till December 30.
BARC audit report confirms ex-executives spiked TRPs: Mumbai police
While BARC received the report in July, it was only after the Mumbai police wrote to them specifically seeking all documents relating to the alleged TRP scam that it sent the report to the police last week, nearly two months after the FIR was registered. December 26, 2020 5:40:39 am
A 22-year-old youth, who is also arrested and in police custody, was not an invitee, but arrived as the victim s friend around 12:15 am. (Representational)
THE MUMBAI Crime Branch, investigating the alleged Television Rating Point (TRP) scam, on Friday said it received an audit report of BARC last week that confirms that TRPs of channels were manipulated under the previous BARC management.