TRP Scam Case: Sessions Court Grants Bail To Republic TV's Assistant Vice President Ghanshyam Singh

It may be noted that he was arrested on 10^th November in connection with TRP Scam Case, for alleged manipulation of ratings to show the news channel and its programmes as the most watched.

The Additional Sessions Judge D. E. Kothalikar granted him bail on the condition of executing PB & SB of 50,000/- with one or two sureties.

He has been asked to attend DCB, CID, Crime Branch, Kandivali, on every Monday and Friday between 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. till the trail is concluded.

Further, he has been asked to attend the police station or the place for holding the Identification Parade by the Magistrate as per the directions given by the Investigation officer or the Executive Magistrate

About TRP Scam

On October 8, the Mumbai Police Commissioner, Param Bir Singh, claimed to have busted a racket that involved private television channels manipulating their Television Rating Points, or TRP.

"Investigation reveals that Republic TV, Fakth Marati and Box Cinema have indulged in such activities", the Mumbai police said in a statement.

According to the police, they had received a complaint in early October from Hansa Research, a company appointed by the Broadcast Audience Research Council or BARC, which installs "people meters" to track viewership. The company had said some former employees had shared details of the households being tracked and helped rig ratings.

The Commissioner said that an FIR has been registered at Kandivali Police Station for offences of criminal breach of trust (Section 409), cheating (420) and criminal conspiracy (120B) under the Indian Penal Code.

ARG Outlier Ltd and Goswami had approached the Supreme Court challenging the FIR. However, the apex court refused to entertain the petition and asked them to approach the Bombay High Court first.

Earlier, in October 2020, The Mumbai City Civil and Sessions Court had granted bail to Shirish Pattanshetty, the owner of Fakt Marathi, one of the channels accused in the Television Rating Point (TRP) scam case registered by Mumbai police.

Additional Sessions Judge PR Sitre granted bail to Pattanshetty on a PR bond of Rs.50,000. FIR was registered at Kandivali police station against the accused under sections 409, 420, 120 B read with Section 34 of Indian Penal Code. On October 8, Pattanshetty was arrested and his application for bail was initially rejected by the Esplanade Court.

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