Press Briefings In TRP Case Strictly Within Confines Of Law : Mumbai Police Commissioner Tells Bombay High Court

The Mumbai Police Commissioner- Param Bir Singh- has rebutted allegations of malafide and bias made against him by ARG Outlier Media Private Ltd and Republic TV anchor Arnab Goswami, in an affidavit in the Bombay High Court. Singh has said that the press briefings held by him in the TRP Scam case were strictly within the confines of law. He claimed that the police holds "periodic briefings as per the procedure and practice established in sensitive cases and was providing credible information to the extent it was fit and proper to disclose... without divulging secret and confidential material collected during investigation." ARG Outlier Media and news anchor Arnab Goswami in their petition in the HC alleged that the press conferences held by Singh right after an FIR was registered in the TRP Scam, were to falsely implicate Republic TV and its functionaries. Especially as the channel was named by Singh, despite not being an accused in the case. Singh claimed that Mumbai Police had commenced its investigation when the fateful press conference was held on October 8. After a preliminary enquiry and based on an analytical report submitted by BARC substantial evidence against three news channels was found which include, Republic TV, Fakt Marathi, and Box Cinema, indicating that they were involved in the fraud and bribed households in Mumbai to bolster their rating. "It is submitted that the contentions of the petitioners of malice and malafides are totally false and has been made only to escape the investigation and prosecution against the petitioners into the TRP scam." the affidavit reads. He further cited the Bombay High Court judgement in the 'Media Trial' PIL with reference to the reportage into Actor Sushant Singh Rajput's death. "We observe that Mumbai Police as well as the other investigating agencies may consider the desirability of appointing an officer who could be the link between the investigator and the media houses for upholding periodic briefings in sensitive cases or incidents that are likely to affect the public at large and to provide credible information to the extent such officer considers fit and proper," the judgment had said. The case will now be heard on February 12. The affidavit was filed in response to the writ petition filed by the company running Republic TV channels challenging the Mumbai police probe in the TRP scam case. The High Court has extended the interim protection to Arnab Goswami and Republic TV employees until February 12 based on an undertaking given by the Mumbai Police.Earlier this month, the Mumbai police filed a 3400-page supplementary chargesheet in the case against Vikas Khanchandani, CEO of Republic TV; Romil Ramgarhia and Partho Dasgupta, CCO and CEO of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), respectively. The TRP Scam FIR was registered by the Mumbai police in October last year. In November, the Mumbai Police Crime Branch filed a 1,400-page chargesheet in the case, naming six channels, including those of Republic Media Network and News Nation, as allegedly paying money to boost TRPs for around two years. The company running Republic TV channels and Goswami moved the High Court seeking to restrain coercive action by Mumbai police and handing over of the investigation to the CBI.Also Read : Investigation So Far Prima Facie Indicates Collusion Between BARC Officials & Others To Manipulate TRP Ratings : Mumbai Police Tells Bombay High Court

Press Briefings In TRP Case Strictly Within Confines Of Law : Mumbai Police Commissioner Tells Bombay High Court

Sharmeen Hakim

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