TRP manipulation case: Republic TV’s CFO, 2 others get pre-arrest bail

TRP manipulation case: Republic TV’s CFO, 2 others get pre-arrest bail

AkshataUpdated: Wednesday, July 07, 2021, 11:41 PM IST
article-image

A sessions court on Wednesday granted anticipatory bail to Republic TV’s chief financial officer (CFO) S Sundaram and two others working with the channel, Ranjit Walter and Shivendu Mulherkar, who are accused in the Television Rating Points (TRP) manipulation case. Sundaram is associated with ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd, which runs Republic TV.

The trio was newly named accused, along with the channel’s editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, in the supplementary chargesheet filed by the crime branch recently. They were among the seven new accused named in the fresh chargesheet, taking the number of accused in the case to 23.

In separate orders, additional sessions judge Abhishri D. Deo directed that in the event of their arrest, they be released on executing bonds and sureties. The three have been directed to remain present for the investigation as and when required. They have also been prohibited from leaving the country without the court’s permission. The court has stated that violation of any of these and other conditions would lead to cancellation of their bail.

In his plea filed in December last year, Sundaram had told the court that he anticipates arrest in the way the company’s CEO Vikas Khanchandani had faced arrest. The 48-year-old’s plea stated that an attempt is being made to muzzle the media by filing multiple cases against Goswami and the channel’s other employees. The FIR in the case has been registered on politically motivated grounds, he alleged further. He has fully cooperated in the investigation and undergone 45 hours of semi-custodial interrogation at the hands of the Mumbai police in the TRP case, he told the court. The prosecution had told the court during the first hearing in the plea that it would not take coercive action against him till the next hearing and such protection was extended from time to time.

RECENT STORIES

Massive Fire Breaks Out At APMC Truck Terminal In Navi Mumbai, Causing Major Damage; No Injuries...

Massive Fire Breaks Out At APMC Truck Terminal In Navi Mumbai, Causing Major Damage; No Injuries...

EOW Mumbai Registers 102 MPID Cases in 9 Years, Arrests 196; Unit 8 Leads In Action

EOW Mumbai Registers 102 MPID Cases in 9 Years, Arrests 196; Unit 8 Leads In Action

Mumbai Rains Update: IMD Issues Alerts as City Records 27% Seasonal Rainfall, Lakes Near 60%...

Mumbai Rains Update: IMD Issues Alerts as City Records 27% Seasonal Rainfall, Lakes Near 60%...

Inauguration Of India’s First Mangrove Park In Mumbai Delayed Due To Monsoon

Inauguration Of India’s First Mangrove Park In Mumbai Delayed Due To Monsoon

Mumbai Churches Join Protest Against Felling Of 12,000 Trees For Metro-9 Car Shed In Dongri

Mumbai Churches Join Protest Against Felling Of 12,000 Trees For Metro-9 Car Shed In Dongri