In the latest development in the TRP scam case, four people have now given the statements before a magistrate that two TV channels have paid them to inflate viewership figures, said Mumbai police while probing the scam. They have also agreed of being a part of a racket and said the people were paid for watching a particular channel.
Now they will be produced before the court as the witnesses.
Reportedly, three of them have confessed that Republic TV made payments to them, while the fourth accused made the statement against Box Cinema. It has been confirmed by the Mumbai Police Commissioner that three witnesses had allegedly named Republic TV's officials who were indulged in playing with the rating points.
However, Parambir Singh refused to further elaborate on the matter saying investigations were at a crucial stage and any disclosure at this stage will hamper the probe.
Notably, Republic TV, Box Cinema, and Fakt Marathi are being probed by the crime branch for their alleged involvement in multiplying the viewership of the channel which drives advertising.
The statements made by the witnesses have been recorded under Section 164 of CrPC, which deals with recording and confession of statements by a metropolitan magistrate or judicial magistrate during the course of the investigation, said police. Though, the magistrate records the statements only after he is convinced that they are being voluntary.
Also Read: TRP Scam: BARC decides to temporarily suspend news channel rating for 3 months
The police officials, on the other hand, have said that now they could not be alleged that cops had tried to bring these confessions from the witnesses.
The Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) had halted the job of installing people metres to the Hansa group. According to the police official, the manipulation of convincing people to watch a particular channel takes in the form of a bribe.
"These confessions will make our case stronger," said the official.
Meanwhile, assistant inspector Sachin Waze has recorded the statement of Republic TV's senior executive editor Abhishek Kapoor for three hours on Thursday. On Wednesday, Niranjan Narayanswamy, the channel's executive editor has given his statements to the police probing the case.