# TRP Scam

The TRP manipulation scam of 2020 involved the alleged inflation by some television channels of their viewership ratings. The investigation was based on a complaint filed with the Mumbai Police. The 70% revenue for television channels coming from advertising highlights the importance of Target Rating Point (TRP) for television channels.

## History

In October 2020, Mumbai Police announced that they had received complaints of channels fraudulently inflating their ratings. An investigation was launched into Republic TV's viewership ratings. Fakt Marathi, and Box Cinema TV were also charged in the FIR.
The police conducted an audit into the accounts of the ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd (owner of Republic TV and Republic Bharat). It showed that the TRPs and viewership of its Hindi channel, Republic Bharat, were high from the first month of its launch in 2016. The police alleged that the channel inflated its ratings by bribing low-income individuals, including people who did not comprehend English, to keep their televisions turned on and tuned to Republic TV. With an inflated TRP, ARG Outlier Media was able to bargain for higher revenue from advertisers. Arnab Goswami denied the allegations and accused the Mumbai Police of retaliating against the channel's recent criticism of their activities.
On 21 October, the investigation became a country-wide case, potentially covering every news channel in India investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). TV Today Network Ltd ( Aaj Tak and India Today) was fined Rs 5 lakh by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) for viewership manipulation. The Bombay High Court directed TV Today Network to pay a 5 lakh fine, or face coercive steps by the BARC Disciplinary Council (BDC).
On 5 November 2020, Hansa Group asked the Bombay High Court to rule against Crime Branch and sought the transfer of the probe to CBI, claiming that the Mumbai Police Crime Branch had been adopting pressure tactics to coerce its employees to issue a statement that a document flashed as "Hansa Report" by Republic TV was a fake document. The plea stated that the petitioners were held at the Crime Branch for long hours and threatened with arrest and were repeatedly pressed to make a false statement. Police officers were listed as respondents in the petition. The Supreme court of India rejected the plea from the channel to protect its employees from arrest.
On 13 December 2020, Republic TV's CEO Vikas Khanchandani was arrested by Mumbai police. Later on 16 December, he was granted bail by a sessions court. While granting the bail, the court took exception over the haste in which Mumbai Police arrested Khanchandani and expressed displeasure over the manner in which the police chose to arrest him a day before his plea for anticipatory bail was scheduled for hearing.
Republic TV CFO Sundaram got multiple pre-arrest bails.
On 22 June 2021 Mumbai Police named Arnab Goswami, Republic TV chief, as a participant. The police named Goswami and four others from ARG Outlier Media (that owns Republic TV) in their 1800 page supplementary charge sheet submitted in the Esplanade Metropolitan Magistrate Court.
In September 2021, Sachin Vaze, a Maharashtra police officer currently under arrest, informed the Enforcement Directorate that Anil Deshmukh, the former Maharashtra Home Minister and NCP leader, had politically instructed him to arrange for the arrest of Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami in the TRP rigging case.

## Enforcement Directorate's Chargesheet

The ED stated that it found no evidence implicating Republic TV or its Hindi counterpart, R Bharat, in the alleged manipulation of TRPs. This conclusion was based on a lack of digital or testimonial evidence supporting the claims against the network. It also criticised the forensic audit report used by the Mumbai Police as the basis for its accusations. The ED described the report as "superficial" and limited in scope, arguing that it failed to provide substantial proof of Republic TV’s involvement in the alleged scam.
ED further revealed that its investigation into two other news channels, News Nation and India Today, is still ongoing, suggesting that further findings may emerge as the inquiry progresses.

## Aftermath

BARC has renewed their ratings since Week 10 of 2022. This has been undertaken after the industry-wide consultation process which resulted in the Augmented Data Reporting Standards for News and Special Interest genres.

## Closure

A court in Mumbai observed that the case against Republic TV was built on fabricated evidence and coerced testimonies. Several witnesses testified under oath that their statements were recorded under duress by investigating officers.
The Maharashtra state government, in its application seeking the closure of the case, acknowledged that the allegations were baseless. The government admitted that most of the evidence was falsified and many individuals were named as accused without any concrete linkage to the alleged crime.