‘Barc’s EX-CEO played a key role in TRP scam’

MUMBAI: A Mumbai court, while rejecting the bail plea of Broadcast Audience Research Council’s (Barc) former chief executive Partho Dasgupta, has observed that he played a “vital role” in the alleged television rating points (TRP) manipulation scam.

The court passed the order on January 4 and a copy of it was made available on Wednesday.

Dasgupta was arrested by Mumbai Police last month.

Chief metropolitan magistrate Sudhir Bhajipale on Monday rejected his bail plea.

In his order, the magistrate said the material available on record shows involvement of the accused in the alleged crime.

“The present applicant (Dasgupta) played the vital role in the commission of offence,” he observed in his order.

As per the court order details, Dasgupta was the CEO of Barc from June 2013 to November 2019. The material collected by the investigating officer shows that Dasgupta manipulated TRP for particular channels by using his office as the CEO of Barc, the court observed.

The court order also said that the accused is the “most influential person who worked as CEO and the other persons or accused are yet to be interrogated”.

“In such circumstances, it is the requirement of further investigation (which is still underway) to keep the present accused away from the wanted accused and other material witnesses,” it added. The court was of the view that Dasgupta’s release will hamper further investigation, which is still in progress.

One of the grounds cited by Dasgupta for seeking release on bail was parity with the other accused, including Broadcast Audience Research Council’s former chief operating officer Romil Ramgarhia.

The court, however, noted that no doubt the other accused are released on bail, but they have played a different role thandasgupta in commission of the offence. “Considering the saidfact, the principle of parity is not applicable in case of the present applicant,” it said.