Republic TV's Chief Financial Officer (CFO) on Saturday refused to appear before the Mumbai Police in connection with the probe into TRP scam, citing a pending writ petition before the Supreme Court.
Shiva Sundaram, the CFO of Arnab Goswami-led Republic Media Network, informed the Mumbai Police that he will not appear before the probe team on Saturday. In a letter to Mumbai Police, he said that a writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court and early hearing is expected, only after which they will join the investigation subject to the order of the SC.
Republic TV CFO's letter to Mumbai Police |
Mumbai Police had on Friday issued a summons to Sundaram in connection with the Television Rating Points (TRP) manipulation racket it is probing, an official said.
Shiva Subramaniyam Sundaram, CFO of Republic TV, was asked to join the investigation on Saturday morning, he said.
Besides Sundaram, the police also summoned accountants of Marathi channels 'Fakt Marathi' and 'Box Cinema' and those of a couple of advertising agencies, he said.
Milind Bharambe, Joint Commissioner of Police (Crime), confirmed that Republic TV's CFO has been called.
The summons to Sundaram said there are reasonable grounds to believe that he is "acquainted with certain facts and circumstances of the matter and the same are required to be ascertained".
He was asked to come to the city police's headquarters around 11 am, an official said.
The Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of Mumbai Crime Branch is investigating the fake TRP racket.
The Economic Offence Wing (EOW) of Mumbai police has also joined the probe to investigate the revenue aspect of Republic TV in the false TRP scam. DCP, EOW Parag Manere has been roped into the investigation by Mumbai CP.
On Thursday, the police arrested four persons including owners of Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema in the case.
Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh claimed that three channels including Republic TV manipulated the TRP.
The racket came to light when BARC, an organization which measures TRP, filed a complaint in this regard through Hansa Research Group Pvt Ltd, the police said.
(With PTI inputs)
