[Breaking] Republic TV Plea Challenging Mumbai Police Summons in TRP Case Dismissed as Withdrawn, SC asks Channel to Move Bombay High Court
(Judicial Quest News Network)
The Supreme Court in a plea filed by the CFO of Republic TV Channelseekingto quash the Summons issued by the Mumbai Police in the FIR alleging manipulation of Television Rating Point (TRP). refused to entertain and granted permission to approach Mumbai High Court.
The matter was heard today by Justices DY Chandrachud, Indu Malhotra and Indira Banerjee
“We must have faith in our High Courts, without the interventions of the High Courts, it sends a bad message to the High Courts, they have been functioning through out the pandemic”. Justice DY Chandrachud Remarked.
The Republic TV in its petition submitted that “The Mumbai police harbours ill-will and malice against the Petitioners as Republic TV and R. Bharat have been at the forefront of reporting the tardy investigation by the Mumbai police in the Sushant Singh Rajput case and the Palghar
lynching incident. As a counterblast, a plethora of false and frivolous legal proceedings have been initiated against the Petitioners at the behest of the political dispensation in the state of Maharashtra,
It was on Oct 8 that Mumbai Police told the press that it has detected the fraudulent practice of TRP Manipulations and that Republic TV and Marathi channels were said to have been arrayed as accused in FIR.
The Republic TV had issued a public statement asserting that the Channel has not been even named in FIR, and that only India Today has been named. It has thus questioned why it being dragged into the case.
In its affidavit filed in response to this plea, the Mumbai Police said the Republic TV is attempting to turn the TRP Scam case into a “Media Spectacle” and that rights Under Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution Cannot be used as a shield against commission of a crime.
It is also stated in the affidavit that the allegations contained in the FIR cannot be decided at this stage of proceedings and that there is “no exceptional circumstances which warrants the interference of the Court Under Article 32”
According the FIR lodged in against Republic TV it is stated that “Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) is the only company in India which measures the Television Rating Point (TRP) for the Indian TV channels and Programmes. The Company works under the guidelines of Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MIB). The Company installs a machine called as Barometer in certain homes. Our company installs and maintains the barometers in Mumbai and Maharashtra for BARC”
Pointing to the fact that officers of Many TV Channels were summoned in the case, the police has submitted that all have been co-operating in the investigation.
“None of the TV Channels have raise any grievances with regards to the investigation being carried out by Mumbai Police. Line of Investigation/interrogation cannot be dictated by the persons who are being interrogated”.
