In a development in the Mumbai police with hunt against Republic TV, the Maharashtra State Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has issued summons to Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh over arrest of Republic TV’s Assistant Vice President Ghanshyam Singh.
The Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh is facing more trouble now as he is now being called by state human rights commission to appear before them on November 27 in connection with the arbitrary arrest of Republic Media Network’s Assitant VP.
Complaint filed in MHRC against Mumbai Police over the arrest of Republic TV Assistant VP
Earlier, a complaint was filed against Mumbai Police by Advocate Aditya Mishra over the arrest of Republic Media Network’s Assistant Vice President Ghanshyam Singh in the TRP scam probe.
In a complaint filed to the Maharashtra Human Rights Commission, Advocate Aditya Mishra mentioned that the present matter pertains to arrest of Ghanshyam Singh of Republic TV in alleged TRP scam on November 10.
Questioning the arbitrary arrest of Republic TV Assistant VP Ghanshyam Singh, Mishra sought how did Mumbai Police arrest Republic TV Assistant VP Singh when the FIR in which the arrest is made did not mention the name of Republic TV in the first place.
“The complainant Hansa Research in the TRP Scam has made allegations reportedly that police is pressurizing them to make a statement against Republic TV. If this allegation is true, then it amounts to the gravest violation of human rights of Republic TV officials. Hence be pleased to issue a notice to Mumbai Commissioner for a detailed report in the interest of justice,” Advocate Mishra pleaded before the MHRC.
Republic TV executive arrested in ‘Fake TRP’ scam
Amidst the relentless witch-hunt against Republic TV, the Crime Branch of Mumbai Police had arrested Republic TV executive Ghanshyam Singh in connection with the alleged TRP manipulation case. Singh, an Assistant VP at Republic TV, is the 12th person arrested in the case.
Later on that day, Singh was presented in the Qila court by Crime branch officials with his head covered in a black cloth. The court had also granted the police 3-day custody of Singh.
According to the remand order accessed by OpIndia, Singh has been arrested primarily on the basis of the statements given by the accused arrested in the case.
The remand order had mentioned Ashish Abidur Chaudhary claiming that the Republic TV Assistant VP Ghanshyam Singh had allegedly paid Rs 2 lakhs to another accused Abhishek Kolavade to manipulate the TRPs of Republic TV and Republic Bharat. Kolavade was arrested earlier for allegedly bribing people to increase the TRPs of many channels, including Republic TV.
Republic TV alleges it has been a victim of a witch hunt by Mumbai Police
Republic TV has alleged that it has been falsely implicated in the TRP manipulation case. A few days back, Hansa Research issued a statement corroborating the assertions made by Republic TV. Hansa Research had then claimed that they were coerced by the Mumbai Police to issue false statements against Republic TV in the TRP manipulation case. The company which operates the Bar-O-Meters of BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council), has moved the Bombay High Court seeking transfer of the probe into the case from Mumbai Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
In the petition filed with Bombay High Court, Hansa Research has alleged that the Police have been adopting pressure tactics to coerce its employees to issue a statement that a document published as Hansa Report by Republic TV is a fake document.
The report by Hansa Research based on which the FIR in the TRP case was registered, names India Today as the channel which had bribed households with the bar-o-meters to watch the channel, and it does not name Republic TV as alleged by Mumbai police. The initial FIR by Mumbai Police had also named India Today and not Republic T
