The Special Investigation Team (SIT) set up to the probe case of alleged rigging of Television Rating Points (TRP) by a couple of channels, is likely to add sections of forgery on Friday, said Mumbai police on Thursday.
According to an officer, the new sections will be of 408 (criminal breach of trust by clerk or servant), 463 (forgery), 465 (punishment for forgery) and 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating) of the IPC.
Earlier on Wednesday, the police had added sections of destruction of evidence and that of non- cooperation by the channel’s office bearers. The case was initially registered under the IPC sections of cheating, criminal breach of trust and criminal conspiracy.
The police on Thursday also said that transaction worth Rs 78-80 crore have been reflected in one of the channel’s accounts in three months, however, the officer did not specify the channel’s name, nor the three months duration period. During the investigation police has sought for accounts details of the channel since the last five years, added the officer.
A fortnight ago, Mumbai police claimed to have unearthed TRP manipulation racket and alleged that Republic TV, Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema were involved in inflating viewership figures. Name of two more channels have surfaced during the questioning of a few accused in the case who allegedly accepted money from the agents and paid households to rig the TRPs of these two channels.
“We are not focusing on a particular channel and we want to unearth the entire conspiracy,” said a police officer.
The Mumbai police have started scrutinising the financial transactions over the last five years of five channels whose names have cropped up in the probe.
Meanwhile, the police recorded the statement of CFO of the Republic TV channel S Sundaram on Thursday and he will again be called on Friday, an official said. Executive editor of the channel Niranjan Narayanswamy will also be called for questioning again, he said.
