According to sources, the ED will probe whether illegal assets were acquired using money earned through the allegedly manipulated TRPs.The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has initiated a money laundering probe into the alleged manipulation of Television Rating Points (TRP) by some news channels.
Sources said the ED has registered an enforcement case information report (ECIR), which is based on the first information report (FIR) registered by the Mumbai Police last month.
According to sources, the ED will probe whether illegal assets were acquired using money earned through the allegedly manipulated TRPs.
The Mumbai Police’s case is that Republic TV and two Marathi channels had allegedly paid to illegally boost their TRPs and thus earned profits illegally by getting higher rates for advertisements they earned due to high TRPs.
All channels named in the FIR have denied any wrong-doing.
The Mumbai Police’s case is based on a complaint filed by the rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), through Hansa Research Group, alleging that certain TV channels were rigging TRPs.
So far, Mumbai Police has arrested 12 people in the TRP scam, the latest being Ghanshyam Singh, of the Republic News Network. Singh, 44, was arrested from his Thane residence on November 10.