Fake TRP scam

Television Rating Point, or TRP, is a tool provided to judge which programmes are viewed the most. It gives an index of the choice of the people and also the popularity of a particular channel. On October 6, 2020, a first information report (FIR) was filed by Nitin Kashinath Deokar the deputy general manager of Hansa Research Group a company that is responsible for managing and distribution of BAR-o-Meter in Mumbai against Vishal Vedprakash Bandari the relationship manager of the same company under section 409, 420, 120 (b) and 34 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for insisting and offering money to panel homes to increase the TRP of India Today. In the statement, Deokar stated that he was informed by the assistant inspector of police that on the basis of secret information they have arrested Vishal for insisting and paying money to panel homes where BAR-o-Meter is installed to watch India Today and several other channels.

On October 8, 2020, Param Bir Singh the Police Commissioner of Mumbai held a press conference and alleged a TRP fraud by Republic, Box Cinema and Fakt Marathi, In the press conference, Parambir Singh stated that "We found some channels were paying former Hansa research group employees contracted by BARC to carry out the research. They, in turn, were paying certain households to keep certain channels like Republic switched on to show higher TRPs."

Responding to allegations made by the Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh, Republic Media Network's Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami issued a statement and stated that "Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh has made false allegations against Republic TV because we have questioned him in the Sushant Singh Rajput case investigation. Republic TV will file a criminal defamation case against Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh. There is not a single BARC report that mentions Republic TV. The people of India know the truth. Mr. Param Bir Singh’s investigation in the Sushant Singh Rajput case is under a cloud and this is a desperate measure because of Republic TV’s reportage on Palghar, the Sushant Singh Rajput case or any other case. This kind of targeting only strengthens the resolve of everyone at Republic TV to push for the truth even harder. Param Bir Singh stands completely exposed today, since BARC has not mentioned Republic in any single complaint. He should issue an official apology and get ready to face us in court." Arnab also accused Param Bir Singh that India Today (TV channel) was named in the FIR, not Republic TV.

After the FIR copy was published by the Republic TV, The Commissioner of Police issued a clarification that "In the FIR, the name of India Today is mentioned. However, it is not substantiated by any of the accused or witnesses. On the contrary, the accused and witnesses are specifically mentioning the names of Republic TV, Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema. Thorough investigations are going on."

On August 9, 2020, India Today issued a statement and stated that "There is a malicious campaign on right now by a few vested interests to drag the name of the India Today Group into the TRP scandal that broke out on October 8, 2020. On that day, Mumbai Police Commissioner Parambir Singh held a press conference in which he alleged that the police had found evidence to suggest that Republic TV, Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema have been systematically manipulating the Television Rating Points (TRP) system."

Arrest

In response to the complaint, the Mumbai police arrested four people including the owners of the Marathi channels Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema under sections 409 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) as well as a former employee of a research agency that offers consumer insights and his associate. The Mumbai police also seized ₹20 lakh (US$28,000) from a bank account and ₹8 lakh (US$11,000) in cash from the locker of one of the accused.