‘Partho Dasgupta is the mastermind’

Former Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) CEO Partho Dasgupta is the “mastermind” of the Television Rating Points (TRP) manipulation scam and there seemed more to the case than mere rigging of TRPS, as per the sessions court. The copy of the January 20 order of the sessions court in Mumbai was made available on Feb 1, and was submitted in the Bombay High Court. Dasgupta is accused of misusing his official position and conniving with ARG Outlier Media, the company that runs all Republic TV channels, and with Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami to manipulate TRPS. In his order rejecting Dasgupta’s bail plea, sessions court judge MA Bhosale said, “The case paper in the present crime reflect that the accused (Dasgupta) is the mastermind of the entire crime,” the judge noted.