Dasgupta will have to deposit his passport and will have to report to the crime branch, Mumbai Police on the first Saturday of every month for six months and thereafter once in three months. Also, the court has directed him to cooperate with the investigation in the case.
Dasgupta was arrested in the television rating points (TRP) scam case and is in Taloja jail in Navi Mumbai. He is accused of misusing his official position and conniving with ARG Outlier Media, and its promoter Arnab Goswami to allegedly manipulate the TRP in favour of the Republic TV.
Earlier, opposing Dasgupta’s bail plea, Special Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray, representing Mumbai Police argued that the contents of the WhatsApp chats recovered from his cellphone proved that he was very close to some news channels and had masterminded the TRP (Television Rating Point) manipulation.
ANI | Updated: Mar 02, 2021 14:36 IST
Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], March 2 (ANI): The Bombay High Court on Tuesday granted bail to Partho Dasgupta, former Chief executive officer (CEO) of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), accused of involvement in the alleged Television Rating Points (TRP) scam.
Dasgupta was granted bail on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh. He will also have to deposit his passport and will have to report to a nearby police station once a month.
Earlier on January 11, a supplementary charge-sheet was filed against Dasgupta, Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani, and former BARC COO Romil Ramgarhia in connection with the alleged TRP scam case before the Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Court in Mumbai.
TRP scam: ED may file first chargesheet this month
The agency is investigating Republic Media Network, India Today Group, News Nation, and four entertainment channels for allegedly manipulating TRPs.
01 Mar, 2021
The Enforcement Directorate could file its first chargesheet in the TRP scam case this month, the Indian Express
reported on Monday, quoting unnamed sources. The agency is investigating the Republic Media Network, India Today Group, News Nation, and four entertainment channels for allegedly paying bribes to rig TRPs, thereby growing advertising revenues.
The chargesheet is expected to detail the alleged wrongdoings of former executives of Broadcast Audience Research Council, Hansa Research Group, and four relationship managers who allegedly helped channels manipulate TRPs.
Updated Feb 16, 2021 · 03:10 pm A file photo of former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta. | Partho Dasgupta via Twitter
Former head of the Broadcast Audience Research Council Partho Dasgupta on Monday told the Bombay High Court that the purported WhatsApp exchanges between him and Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami were mere “loose talks” and that he should not be kept in detention on the basis of the chats, reported
Bar and Bench.
Dasgupta made the submission before a bench of Justice PD Naik, which was hearing the former media executive’s bail plea. The Mumbai Police had arrested Dasgupta in connection with its investigation into the Television Ratings Point scam on December 24. The police have alleged that Goswami bribed Dasgupta with “lakhs of rupees” to ramp up Republic TV’s viewership.