TRP scam: 'BARC's ex-CEO guilty'

Mumbai: A Mumbai court, while rejecting the bail plea of Broadcast Audience Research Council's (BARC) former CEO Partho Dasgupta, has observed that he played a "vital role" in the alleged Television Rating Points (TRP) manipulation scam.

The court passed the order on January 4 and a copy of it was made available on Wednesday. Dasgupta was arrested by Mumbai Police last month. Chief metropolitan magistrate Sudhir Bhajipale on Monday rejected his bail plea.

In his order, the magistrate said the material available on record shows involvement of the accused in the alleged crime. "The present applicant (Dasgupta) played the vital role inthecommissionofoffence," he observed in his order. As per the court order details, Dasgupta was the CEO of BARC from June 2013 to November 2019.

The materialcollectedby the investigating officer shows that Dasgupta manipulated TRP for particular channels by usinghisofficeasthe CEOofBARC, the court observed.

The Mumbai Police on Wednesday told the Bombay High Court that it has found more evidence against Republic TV in the Television Rating Points (TRP) scam.