On Wednesday, a City Civil Court (CCC) in Mumbai dismissed an interim plea filed Hansa Research Group Pvt. Ltd. wherein it sought for a restraining order against Republic TV network.
Hansa Research Group, which helps in the collection of raw data of TV viewership for BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council), had moved the Court against Republic TV after the channel exclusively broadcast excerpts from the complaint filed by the company with the Mumbai police in the TRP manipulation case. The complaint had formed the basis of the FIR in the alleged TRP scam.
It may be noted that while the Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had alleged that Republic TV was named in the case, the Hansa report did not mention the name of Republic TV, but had named India Today.
The news channel and its Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami had aired excerpts from the 7-page complaint report of Hansa Group to expose the lies peddled by the Mumbai police, on the behest of the Maharashtra government. Earlier, the channel had shown the FIR also filed on the basis of this complaint report, which had named India Today several times. Following this, Hansa Group had moved the Court, seeking an injunction on any reference to the complaint on the Republic TV network. However, the Court has rejected the interim petition and ruled in favour of Republic TV. The Court has been adjourned till November 25.
Republic TV Journalist Anand Bhardwaj tweeted, “BIG RELIEF FOR #Republic…City Civil Court rejected #Hansa’s interim relief plea seeking injunction restraining Republic TV from referring to the Hansa Report in their broadcasts. Matter posted for 25 November”
https://twitter.com/Rhythms22/status/1318820985269669888?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwBARC accuse Republic TV of violating ‘confidentiality’
Earlier, the TV viewership rating agency BARC has confirmed that there has been no case, complaint or proof against Republic TV in the ongoing ‘Fake TRP’ scam as alleged by Mumbai Police commissioner Param Bir Singh. This was revealed in an email sent by BARC to Republic network.
The BARC’s mail written to Republic TV had categorically stated that there has been no manipulation by Republic media network. The mail states that if there was any complaint against Republic, BARC would have informed about the same to the media house. With this sensational disclosure by BARC, the entire campaign by Mumbai Police against Republic Media Network has turned out to be a lie.
Later, BARC came forward and issued a strong statement against Republic TV and condemned it for revealing what it called confidential communication. It said, “BARC India is highly disappointed with the actions of the Republic Network by disclosing private and confidential communications and misrepresenting the same.” While BARC didn’t deny the content of the email they had sent to Republic which was aired by the channel, they objected to broadcast of the contents of the mail saying it was ‘private and confidential’.