TRP scam: Crime Investigation Unit files 3,600-page chargesheet

Former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta. File Pic

The Mumbai police's Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) on Monday filed a 3,600-page-long supplementary chargesheet in the TRP manipulation scam. The chargesheet mentions Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani, BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta and COO Romil Ramgarhia as accused.

The chargesheet also mentions Priya Mukherjee, Siva Sundaram, Shivendu Mulekar, Robert Walter and others from Republic TV and Amit Dave, Sanjeev Verma and others from Maha Movie channel as wanted accused.

There are 59 witnesses and 12 experts (forensic auditors, computer forensic experts) whose statements have been taken and whose names are mentioned in the supplementary charge sheet. So far, property worth Rs 50 lakh has been seized, including mobile phones, computers, personal computers, watches and gold and silver jewellery.

The CIU claimed that former BARC CEO Dasgupta misused his position and that ARG Outlier Media Private Limited, which owns Republic TV, along with the channel's editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and others, manipulated TRPs to bring the channel to the number 1 spot. Dasgupta bought valuables and jewellery with the money he allegedly received for helping the channel.

Assistant Police Inspector (API) of the CIU, Sachin Vaze, also told the court that confessional statements of accused Umesh Mishra and Ashish Chaudhary have been included in the charge sheet.

The information found in the seized computer and mobile will be investigated. The chats in the seized electronic gadgets will be investigated and Vaze said that the BARC report has also been included in the charge sheet. The statements of the cable operator have also been taken. In this case, the confessional statement of Umesh Mishra and Ashish Chaudhary have been taken. Vaze told mid-day, "A general entertainment channel, two regional channels (Telugu) and a sports channel are also coming up in the matter of TRP manipulation."