The former CEO of BARC India, Partho Dasgupta, has revealed that he received 12,000 US dollars from Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami for two holidays and Rs 40 lakh in 3 years for manipulating TRP of the news channel.
The ex-CEO of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) India made the revelation in a handwritten statement to Mumbai Police, according to the supplementary chargesheet filed in the TRP scam case.
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According to a media report, the 3,600-page supplementary chargesheet was filed by Mumbai Police on January 11.
The chargesheet included a BARC forensic audit report, WhatsApp chats purportedly between Dasgupta and Goswami, and statements of 59 persons, including former council employees and cable operators.
Also read: TRP Scam: Ex-BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta’s bail plea rejected
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In the audit report, there are names of several news channels, including Republic, Times Now and Aaj Tak, and lists instances of alleged manipulation as well as “pre-fixing” of ratings for the channels by top executive of BARC India.
The Mumbai Police filed the supplementary chargesheet against ex-BARC India CEO Dasgupta, former BARC COO Romil Ramgarhia and Republic Media Network CEO Vikas Khanchandani.
The Mumbai Police filed its first chargesheet in November 2020.
Also read: TRP manipulation case: WhatsApp chat between Arnab Goswami and ex-BARC CEO surfaces on social media
The first chargesheet, filed by Mumbai Police in the TRP scam case, had taken 12 names.
As per the supplementary chargesheet, Partho Dasgupta’s statement was recorded in the office of the Crime Intelligence Unit on December 27, 2020, at 5.15 pm.
“I have known Arnab Goswami since 2004. We used to work together in Times Now. I joined BARC as CEO in 2013. Arnab Goswami launched Republic in 2017,” Dasgupta’s statement reads.
“Even before launching Republic TV he would talk to me about plans for the launch and indirectly hint at helping him to get good ratings to his channel. Goswami knew very well that I know how the TRP system works. He also alluded to helping me out in the future,” it reads.
“I worked with my team to ensure manipulation of TRP ratings that made Republic TV get number 1 rating. This would have continued from 2017 to 2019.”
“Towards this, in 2017 Arnab Goswami had personally met me at St Regis hotel, Lower Parel and given me 6000 dollars cash for my France and Switzerland family trip…also in 2019 Arnab Goswami had personally met me at St Regis and given me 6000 dollars for my Sweden and Denmark family trip. Also in 2017, Goswami had personally met me at ITC Parel hotel and given me Rs 20 lakh cash… also in 2018 and 2019… Goswami met me at ITC hotel Parel and gave me Rs 10 lakhs each time…,” the statement reads.