TRP scam: Supreme Court asks Republic Media Group to approach Bombay High Court

The Supreme Court on Thursday refused to entertain a plea by Republic TV's Editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and his company challenging the investigation in TRP scam and asked him to approach the Bombay High Court.

The top court, however, expressed concern over the trend of Commissioners of police giving interviews on cases. Mumbai police Commissioner Param Bir Singh was named as one of the parties in the plea. He had addressed a press conference on the scam.

Also Read: TRP scam: BARC suspends ratings of TV news channels

"Have faith in the Bombay High Court. It is better for you to approach the High Court," a bench presided over by Justice D Y Chandrachud told senior advocate Harish Salve, appearing for the petitioner.

The petitioner questioned the probe by the Mumbai police and sought a direction to the CBI to look into the matter.

The bench also pointed out the channel has an office at Worli which is close to Flora Fountain, where the High Court is located.

Before the hearing, the Mumbai Police filed its affidavit before the court, opposing the plea for a CBI probe, saying it was a gross abuse of the process of law and the channel can't decide the agency that would probe the case.

The response also stated that investigation into a crime can't be a matter of free speech. "Article 19(1)(a) cannot be involved to sidestep, thwart and prevent any investigation. The right of freedom of speech and expression is not a shield which can be used against any crime under the extant criminal law of the land," it said.

It also alleged Goswami was threatening and intimidating witnesses.

The police also said none of the TV channels in the case have raised any grievance into the probe launched after lodging of FIR on October 6 registered with Kandivali police station and subsequently transferred to the Criminal Investigation Unit with regard to alleged fudging of data on Television Rating Points depicting popularity of a channel.