TRP Scam CBI registers case in fake TRP scam
New Delhi/IBNS: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Tuesday registered a case to investigate the fake Television Rating Points (TRP) scam based on a case filed in Uttar Pradesh even as the case is being investigated by the Mumbai Police, media reports said.
Mumbai Police is investigating Republic TV and two other news channels in connection with the fake rating scam. However, Republic TV demanded CBI enquiry, alleging that the Maharashtra government was framing it in the case due to its criticism of the state government in the handling of Bollywood actor Sushant Singh's death case.
The UP government recommended the case for CBI inquiry after an FIR was lodged with Lucknow police by one "Golden Communications" on Saturday, said reports, adding that the case was approved within 24 hours by the Centre for investigation by the Central investigating agency.
Reports said that the CBI has filed an FIR in the case and a team is headed to Lucknow to collect documents on the TRP scam.
The Mumbai Police on October 8 said Republic TV is among the three channels which have been investigated for rigging ratings, spreading fake narratives and gaining ad revenues.
"The biggest name to emerge is Republic TV. The directors and promoters of Republic TV are being investigated for ratings fraud," Singh said as quoted by NDTV.
Singh had also said the bank accounts of the channel will be probed.
Hansa, an agency that installed rating metres on select households, shared confidential data with the three channels, said Singh.
The data collected by Hansa is used by BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council), which issues rating points every week for channels across the country.
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