In a handwritten statement, the CEO of Broadcast audience research council (BARC), Partho Dasgupta, mentioned that Republic TV anchor Arnab Goswami had paid for two holidays and 40 lakh Rupees over a period of three years to manipulate the TRP ratings of the Republic TV. With regards to the TRP scam and the channel, Mumbai Police has filed a 3600 pages supplementary chargesheet on January 11, against Dasgupta, who was the COO of BARC. Dasgupta mentioned that for the two holidays, Arnab had paid him 12000 dollars.
The supplementary chargesheet includes a BARC forensic audit report, statements of 59 people including cable operators & former BARC employees, and the WhatsApp chats between Goswami & Dasgupta. The audit report names various channels in this fiasco like Republic TV, Times Now & Aaj Tak. It also highlights the prefixing of the ratings by the executives of the BARC. The audit report, dated July 24, 2020, is included in the chargesheet, indicates favouritism shown to few channels.
On Monday, the Bombay high court has directed the counsel of the former CEO of BARC to submit the relevant portions of the chargesheet before the next hearing.
Also Read: Death of Congress Spokesperson-Mockery of the debate discourse
As per the second chargesheet, the statement of Dasgupta was recorded in the Crime Intelligence Unit office on December 27, 2020, at 5:15 pm in the presence of two witnesses.
These disclosures show to what extent was the Republic TV channel in cahoots with the regime through all the failures on economic, social fronts and during the pandemic and especially in suppressing any voices of protests.
