Channel wars escalate, Republic TV fires fresh salvo at India Today
The war of words between Republic Media Network and India Today over Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh's assertions of a TRP manipulation scandal has exploded.
FollowFiring a fresh salvo at the Mumbai Police for naming it in the TRP manipulation scandal, Republic media network has claimed that a 7-page report of Hansa Research which it claimed 'was kept under wraps by Mumbai Police and India Today'.
Republic Media Network, citing the report, claimed that the accused in the case tried to manipulate TRPs for India Today.
In this regard, the channel also claimed criminal conspiracy in the way of conversations that reportedly pointed towards cash transactions aimed at manipulating TRPs.
Claiming 'organised' witch-hunt, the channel claimed that the original investigation was against India Today, but allegedly deliberately diverted by the Mumbai Police to target the network. The channel alleged that the rival channel's name was deliberately left out.
'Setting the record straight'
Earlier in a statement, Republic TV put out what it termed as evidence that would set the record straight:
1) Contrary to Mumbai Police chief's claims that  there was no evidence against India Today, FIR mentions India Today 6 times.
2) The key witness in the case has gone on-record making allegations against India Today.
3) Â India Today was caught in the TRP rigging scam by rating agency BARC itself, held guilty of 'viewership malpractice' and fined Rs 5 lakh.
4) The serious observations of the BARC's Disciplinary Committee headed by Honourable Justice Mukul Mudgal, former Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, established that India Today was found guilty of rigging TRPs.
Republic hiding criminal wrongdoing?
Responding to the charges levelled by Republic media network, India Today group -- in a statement -- said: "What we are currently seeing is an attempt by Republic TV, the main accused in the ratings manipulation case, to deflect the blame to other networks to hide their own criminal wrongdoing."Â
"In a separate matter, BARC has fined India Today without presenting any concrete evidence or convening a proper judicial committee. The issue had been under contention with them, but since they have leaked the confidential hearings, the India Today Group will consider appropriate legal recourse to get justice."
"We welcome any probe the police may wish to conduct and are fully confident that we will come out unscathed as we have not acted in any inappropriate manner. What we have right now is nothing but malicious, unsubstantiated allegations by a vested party," it added.
