TRP scam: Court grants bail to Fakt Marathi channel owner

A Mumbai court on Thursday granted bail to Fakt Marathi channel owner Shirish Pattanshetty, who was arrested in the alleged fake TRP scam.

Additional sessions judge P R Sitre granted bail to Pattanshetty on a surety of Rs 50,000, his lawyer Aniket Nikam said.

Nikam earlier argued in the court that his client had not done any rigging of the Television Rating Points nor there was a rise in the TRP of the Fakth Marathi channel.

The revenue of the channel had also not increased during the relevant period, he said, alleging that this was a "witch-hunt".

He further submitted that during the custodial interrogation of Pattanshetty, who was arrested earlier this month, nothing was recovered and his further detention was unwarranted.

The alleged fake TRP scam came to light after ratings agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) filed a complaint with Mumbai 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 were installed for collecting data of viewership were being bribed to tune into a particular channel.

So far, at least 11 people have been arrested in connection with the case.