Fake TRP scam: Mumbai Police yet to examine BARC raw data?

By Asianet Newsable English | First Published Dec 1, 2020, 4:18 PM IST

The Enforcement Directorate, which initiated a money laundering probe nearly a fortnight ago into the fake Television Rating Point scam, has reportedly found glaring loopholes in the Mumbai Police investigation.

Naming Republic TV as an accused in the fake TRP scam case, Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had at a press conference held nearly two months ago claimed that the ratings agency "Broadcast Audience Research Council had in its analytical report stated that the channel displayed suspicious trends".

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However, ED sources now claim that two officials from BARC -- one from the vigilance department and the other from the IT department -- who appeared before the agency, stated that Mumbai Police "never asked for any raw data from BARC".

Raw data implies details of the bar-o-meters installed at the households by the ratings agency.

Mumbai Police officials are yet to respond on this development.

Republic TV has claimed that BARC had written not one but two emails to the channel clearing its name in the TRP scam.

Apart from Republic TV, Box Cinema and Marathi channel Fakt Marathi were the others named during preliminary investigation. Later, News Nation and Mahamovie channels were also formally named in the case.

The channel has also accused the police of pursuing an agenda against free press. In October, the channel had said it would sue Commissioner Param Bir Singh for Rs 200 crore for allegedly damaging its reputation by linking it to the case.

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