In Maharashtra, Republic TV’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO) Shiva Subramaniyam Sundaram did not appear before the Mumbai Police today to record his statement in connection with the TRP manipulation racket, saying the channel has approached the Supreme Court in the case.
The Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai Crime Branch had issued summons against Sundaram yesterday and he had been asked to join the investigation today. However, a senior official said, Sundaram did not appear before the probe team saying the channel has approached the Supreme Court and that there will be a hearing on the matter within a week.
However, Sam Balsara, Chairman and Managing Director of Madison World and Madison Communications appeared before the Crime Branch today to record his statement. The CIU is investigating the fake Television Rating Points (TRP) racket case.
Besides Sundaram, the police had also summoned accountants of Marathi channels ‘Fakt Marathi’ and ‘Box Cinema’ and those of a couple of advertising agencies. Four persons including owners of ‘Fakt Marathi’ and ‘Box Cinema’ had been arrested in the case on Thursday.
Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had claimed that three channels including Republic TV manipulated the TRP. According to the police, the racket came to light when the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), an organization which measures TRP, filed a complaint in this regard through Hansa Research Group Pvt. Ltd.
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