Deutsche Welle (English edition)
India: Boss of right-wing Republic TV arrested in ratings scam
Dubbed India's answer to Fox News, the right-wing channel has been accused of manipulating its ratings by bribing viewers to keep their TVs on.
Vikas Khanchandani, CEO of Indian media company ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd, was arrested in the western Indian city of Mumbai on Sunday morning.
"Network’s CEO was arrested from his home this morning without any papers, and despite complete compliance with the investigation," tweeted the Republic TV Twitter account, the company's flagship news channel.
Khanchandani and the company's Chief Financial Officer Sivasubramanian Sundaram had filed for anticipatory bail at a sessions court on Thursday, the hearing for which was scheduled on Monday, legal news portal
Live Law reported.
The network said it would request an urgent hearing to file for bail for its CEO.
The media outlet has been
accused of manipulating viewership for its channels, in a case dubbed as TRP scam (Target Rating Point).
Bribed to watch?
Authorities are investigating whether Republic TV inflated its ratings by bribing people on low-incomes who have research technology installed at their homes to keep their TVs tuned to the channel.
The channel claims it is being singled out due to its controversial content.
Since it launched in 2017, Republic TV has been accused of biased reporting in favor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party and Hindu nationalism.
Critics say the channel has used irresponsible and opinionated reporting in an attempt to spark communal tensions.
The Times of India reported that as well as Republic TV, several other channels are being investigated over similar allegations.
Arnab Goswami, editor-inchief of the Republic Media Network, was arrested on November 4, for abetment to suicide in an unrelated case.