The charges of manipulating TRP statistics in the case were dropped against Republic TV and R Bharat by the agency. The ED added that it had not finished looking into two further news outlets, News Nation and India Today.
Digital Desk: The Enforcement Directorate claimed that no evidence was discovered against Republic TV in the purported false Television Rating Points scam (TRP scam) discovered by the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police in the charge sheet submitted to a Mumbai court.
The charges of manipulating TRP statistics in the case were dropped against Republic TV and R Bharat by the agency. The ED added that it had not finished looking into two further news outlets, News Nation and India Today.
On September 15, 2022, ED submitted its criminal complaint to a Special Court under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). On Wednesday, special judge MG Deshpande took the charge sheet under consideration.
The directors of Fakt Marathi, Box Cinema, and Maha Movies, relationship managers (RMs) connected to Hansa Research Group, and a contractor employed by the Broadcast Audience Research Council are among the 16 defendants who were charged by the central agency (BARC).
After registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) in November 2020, the ED eventually filed a charge sheet.
The Crime Branch of the Mumbai Police's First Information Report (FIR) number. 843 of 2020 served as the foundation for the ECIR.
In a charge sheet submitted by the Crime Branch in November 2020, it was revealed that Republic TV networks had profited from the scam and had manipulated their audience figures to increase their revenue.
Arnab Goswami, the Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV, wasn't charged with a crime in the case until the Crime Branch did so in June 2021.
The ED charge sheet, on the other hand, said that it had not found any proof that Republic TV or Republic Bharat had engaged in practises of manipulating TRPs, either through statements or digital evidence.
According to the agency, there appeared to be a discrepancy between the Mumbai Police inquiry and the ED investigation.
The forensic audit report that the Mumbai police relied on, according to ED, was cursory and based on a narrow study.
The RMs stated in the Mumbai Police charge sheet that they had paid panel families to watch channels, but the ED could find no money trail to support such statements.
On the panel of households that were reportedly watching Republic channels, ED requested raw data from BARC. The information revealed that the homes viewed stations besides Republic, and they also denied having received any payment.
Even while Republic channels were exonerated of the allegations, the ED discovered leads from several houses that claimed to have watched India Today and News Nation in exchange for money from RMs.
The agency stated that an inquiry into this matter was ongoing.
The charge sheet admitted a larger conspiracy between channel viewers, agents, and RMs to persuade or entice the panel homes to watch particular channels for financial advantage, and the malice appeared to be more ingrained as evidenced by FIRs filed by BARC in other States.
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