TRP scam: Republic Media Network's CEO gets bail

Mumbai, Dec 16: A Mumbai court on Wednesday granted bail to Republic Media Network's Chief Executive Officer Vikas Khanchandani, who was arrested in the alleged TRP (Television Rating Points) rigging scam. Khanchandaniwas arrested on Sunday from his residence here by the police's Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU).

A metropolitan magistrate court granted bail to Khanchandani on a cash surety of Rs 50,000, his lawyer Niteen Pradhan informed. The police began a probe into the alleged scam after ratings agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) filed a complaint through Hansa Research Agency about rigging of TRP by some channels.

TRP, measured by recording viewership data at sample households, is crucial for attracting advertisers. The BARC engaged Hansa to install and maintain barometers which record TV viewership data at sample households.

It was alleged that some of these families were being bribed to tune into certain channels to ramp up their TRP.

In a charge sheet filed recently, the police alleged that an official of Hansa paid money to sample households to tune into Box Cinema, Fakt Marathi, Maha Movie and Republic TV.

The Republic TV has denied any wrongdoing. The police have so far arrested 13 people in connection with the case. PTI AVI GK GK