TRP case: Cops scrutinise financial transactions of 5 channels

The Mumbai police have started scrutinising the financial transactions of five channels, which were allegedly involved in fake Television Ratings Points (TRP) scam, an official said on Thursday.

The financial transactions that took place in the last five years are being examined, he said.

"The Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai crime branch has started the process of scrutinising the financial transactions of these five channels that happened in the last five years," the official said.

It will also examine their revenue sources, he said.

"During the investigation conducted so far, it has been observed that there was a sudden spike in the number of transactions," he said, without giving any further details.

The police will also slap sections related to forgery in the case, including IPC sections 408, 463, 465 and 468, he said.

Meanwhile, the police recorded the statement of the CFO of the Republic TV channel S Sundaram on Thursday and he will again be called on Friday, the official said.

Executive editor of the channel Niranjan Narayanswamy will also be called for questioning again, he said.

The probe team has recorded the statement of Republic TV's distribution head Ghanshyam Singh in the case, he said.

The alleged fake TRP scam came to light when rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) filed a complaint with the police through Hansa Research Group, alleging that certain channels were rigging TRP numbers to lure advertisers.

It was alleged that some families at whose houses meters for collecting data of viewership were installed were being bribed to tune into a particular channel.