BARC official was offered benefits by Republic TV, claims Crime Branch

Crime Branch arrested Romil Rangarhia on Thursday. Pic/Suresh Karkera

Based on his WhatsApp chats with Republic TV officials in the TRP manipulation case, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) of Mumbai Crime Branch has determined that former BARC COO Romil Ramgarhia had probably been receiving benefits from Republic TV since its launch in 2017.

Ramgarhia was arrested by the police on Thursday. Based on the WhatsApp chats retrieved from Ramgarhia's phone, and that of arrested accused Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani and 'the director' of Republic TV, it has been found that the benefits were for sharing the advanced and internal details of TRP fluctuations.

"The WhatsApp chats indicate that Ramgarhia would not feed the data of other channels for weekly TRPs, which resulted in higher TRP for Republic TV," an officer privy to the investigation said "Ramgarhia got benefits from Republic TV. We have found some evidence that he was offered holiday packages and shopping coupons by the channel," said Assistant Police Inspector (API) Sachin Vaze.

The Crime Branch also said that more BARC employees could also be involved in the scam. According to the investigators, BARC has a mechanism that alerts it about manipulation by other channels. "As this department, too, came under Ramgarhia, he never took any action against Republic TV and never informed his superiors about the ongoing manipulation," Vaze added.

Ramgarhia also allegedly informed Republic TV about the latest technology used by BARC to prevent manipulation. In another development, the Crime Branch wrote to the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) and the Enforcement Directorate to take action against Republic TV under the Companies Act and the Prevention of Money Laundering Act respectively, due to financial irregularities.

The Mumbai Crime Branch has arrested 14 accused in the case so far. The letter was written by the investigating officer Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Shashank Sandbhor on December 15. The Crime Branch has also shared a copy of the charge sheet with the ED.

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