CBI to Also Probe TRP Case After UP Govt’s Recommendation

The TRP ‘scam’ is also being probed by Mumbai Police, with Republic TV being the biggest name that has surfaced.

Image used for representational purposes.

(Photo: The Quint)

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the investigation from the Lucknow Police into allegations of TRP manipulation, news agency PTI reported on Tuesday, 20 October, citing officials.

This came after a reference from the Uttar Pradesh government, with the UP police having earlier registered a case in Lucknow on the basis of a complaint by one ‘Golden Rabbit Communications’, reports said. 

The alleged TRP scam is also being probed by the Mumbai Police, with Republic TV being the biggest name that has surfaced in the case. Two other smaller regional channels named are Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema.

What’s the Case All About?

The matter has also gone to the courts, with the Bombay High Court on Monday asking the Mumbai Police to issue summons to Arnab Goswami if he is proposed to be named as accused in the TRP scam case. The court was informed by Senior Advocate Harish Salve, appearing for Goswami, that he will appear and cooperate with the probe if he receives the summons.

Earlier this month, the Mumbai Police had said that it has busted a "TRP scam", whereby Television Rating Points (TRPs) were being manipulated. In the briefing, the Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh said that ratings by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), which measures television ratings in India, have been manipulated.

The police named Republic TV and two other Marathi channels who, it said, were involved in the practice.