Ex-CEO of BARC Partho Dasgupta. File
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Partho Dasgupta was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch last month for his alleged involvement in the TRP scam
The City Civil and Sessions Court in Mumbai on Wednesday rejected a bail plea of former chief executive officer and managing director of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) Partho Dasgupta in the Television Rating Point (TRP) manipulation case.
He was arrested from Pune on December 24 and is currently lodged in the Taloja Central Jail.
Special Public Prosecutor Shishir Hiray opposed his bail on the grounds that Whatsapp chats have been leaked in which there were alleged conversations between him and the Prime Minister’s Office that went on to show that he was an influential person and could tamper with evidence and sway witnesses who were either former or current employees of the Council.
TRP Scam: Mumbai Court Denies Bail to Former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta
The Mumbai police vehemently opposed his bail application.
Former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta. Photo: LinkedIn
Media20/Jan/2021
New Delhi:Â A sessions court in Mumbai has rejected the bail application of former CEO of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) Partho Dasgupta, who was arrested in the television rating points (TRP) scam.
Dasgupta was arrested on December 24 and is one of the prime accused in the alleged manipulation of TRPs. The Mumbai police recently filed a 3,400-page chargesheet in which they annexed WhatsApp chats between Republic TV founder Arnab Goswami and Dasgupta, alleging that they colluded to inflate the channel’s ratings. Dasgupta is accused of criminal breach of trust and cheating.
In a statement issued later, Republic TV said it rejected the allegations made by the Pakistan government against Goswami. The Pakistan government’s statement, it said, was “proof of the deep-conspiracy of anti-India and anti-national forces” against Republic TV.
The Pulwama terror attack, in which 40 CRPF personnel were killed, was organised by the Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed. In retaliation, India had undertaken airstrikes against the terror group’s camps in Pakistan’s Balakot.
The Pakistan Foreign Office was referring to purported WhatsApp conversations between Goswami and former Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) chief executive Partho Dasgupta, which have been recorded as part of the Mumbai Police’s charge sheet in the ‘TRP scam’ case.
A file photo of Republic TV anchor Arnab Goswami. | PTI
The Maharashtra unit of the Congress on Tuesday demanded the arrest of Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami, claiming that his purported WhatsApp conversation about prior knowledge of the 2019 Balakot airstrikes amounts to treason, reported
The Hindu.
In a purported WhatsApp chat on February 23 – three days before the strike – Goswami told Broadcast Audience Research Council’s former Chief Executive Officer Partho Dasgupta that it would be “bigger than a normal strike”.
“How did Goswami get the information about the military action three days before the event, on February 23, 2020?,” Congress General Secretary Sachin Sawant told the newspaper on Wednesday. “He [Goswami] himself has said that the person who gave him this information is a big person in the Modi government. All of this needs to be investigated. The way Arnab Goswami acted amounts to violation of the Official Secrets A
TRP scam: Court rejects bail plea of BARC s ex-CEO Partho Dasgupta
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Last Updated: Jan 20, 2021, 05:42 PM IST
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Synopsis
Opposing Dasgupta s bail application in the sessions court, special public prosecutor Shishir Hiray submitted that although the charge-sheet in the case has been filed, there still are multiple things which need to be investigated.
Agencies
Partho Dasgupta, former CEO of BARC India, produced at Court in connection with Television Rating Points (TRP) scam.
Mumbai: A sessions court in Mumbai on Wednesday rejected the bail application of former CEO of ratings agency BARC, Partho Dasgupta, an accused in the alleged fake Television Ratings Point (TRP) case. Dasgupta was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch from Pune district last month.