TRP Scam: Mumbai Police Calls 2 Republic TV Editors for Quizzing

Republic TV’s executive editor and senior executive editor are required to appear before the police on Wednesday.

The Mumbai Police crime branch has summoned two Republic TV editors. 

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

The Mumbai Police has summoned Republic TV Executive Editor Niranjan Narayanaswamy and Senior Executive Editor Abhishek Kapoor in connection with the rigged TRPs case, PTI reported.

Both the editors were called in for questioning on Wednesday, 14 October, and are set to make an appearance before the Crime Intelligence Unit at noon.

On Saturday, Republic TV had allegedly broadcast a document belonging to Hansa Research Group, NDTV reported.

The police summons claimed that “there are reasonable grounds to believe that you are acquainted with certain facts and circumstances of the said document which purportedly belongs to Hansa Research Group Pvt Ltd and the same is required to be ascertained from you, and therefore, you are directed to provide the said document which purportedly belongs to Hansa Research Group Pvt Ltd.”

Narayanswamy and Kapoor have reportedly now been asked to provide a source for the document belonging to Hansa, but the channel believes that “it is shocking” and claim that the state machinery of Maharashtra is peddling lies against the news channel.

On Tuesday, 13 October, the Mumbai Police also questioned two Hansa employees in connection with the case.

Republic TV Entangled in TRP Scam

The Mumbai Police had addressed a press conference last week where it said it has busted a "TRP scam", whereby TRPs were being manipulated. The police named Republic TV and two other Marathi channels who, it said, were involved in the practice. Four people have been arrested in connection with the matter.

The other channels named are smaller regional channels like Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema.

Vikas Khanchandani, Republic TV CEO has already been questioned, the owners of the two Marathi channels have been arrested, and questioning is underway for the promoters and directors of Republic TV.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai Police crime branch had summoned the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Republic TV, S Sundaram, in connection with the case on Saturday. However, Sundaram wrote to the Mumbai Police saying that a writ petition has been filed before the Supreme Court regarding the summons, and requested them to not proceed with the investigation till it was heard.

Republic’s Editor-in-Chief, Arnab Goswami had threatened to sue Mumbai Police for defamation.

(With inputs from NDTV.)