News Analysis India

Tag: Partho Dasgupta

  • Arnab Goswami had conspired with BARC CEO to boost Republic TRP: Police

    The Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai Police on Tuesday filed a third chargesheet before a magistrate #39;s court here in the alleged fake Television Ratings Points (TRP) scam.

  • TRP case: HC adjourns hearing on bail plea of ex-BARC CEO to February 9

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday adjourned till February 9 the hearing on the bail plea of former BARC (Broadcast Audience Research Council) CEO Partho Dasgupta, who is an accused in the alleged fake Television Rating Point (TRP) scam.

    Dasgupta, who was arrested by the crime branch of the Mumbai Police on December 24 last year, sought bail on parity arguing that all other accused persons in the case were out on bail.

    On Tuesday, Dasgupta’s counsels Abad Ponda and Shardul Singh told the HC that the former BARC CEO suffered from a spinal problem and needed a medical attention.

    “He (Dasgupta) is not dying but it (health) is precarious and he needs a medical attention,” Ponda said.

    Special Public Prosecutor Shishir Hire asked the HC to grant some time since he was appointed to the case only on Monday.

    He told the high court that a similar bail plea filed by Dasgupta was pending hearing in the Supreme Court.

    Dasgupta’s counsels, however, assured a bench presided over by Justice PD Naik that they will not go ahead with the plea in the apex court.

    Justice Naik took the statement on record and adjourned the hearing till February 9.

    Dasgupta had sought bail on parity arguing that all other accused persons in the TRP case are out on bail.

    He had told the HC last week that Republic TV editor- in-chief Arnab Goswami was the prime accused in this scam.

    Dasgupta is accused of misusing his official position and conniving with ARG Outlier Media, the company that runs all Republic TV channels, and with Goswami to manipulate TRPs.

    On January 19, a sessions court in Mumbai rejected Dasgupta’s bail plea.

    At that time, sessions court judge MA Bhosale recorded in his order that though other accused persons were out on bail, Dasgupta’s custodial interrogation was required since as per the case papers, he seemed to be the “mastermind” of the case.

    Judge Bhosale had stated that Dasgupta’s custody was required as the police would need him to explain his WhatsApp chats with others accused, or those named in the chargesheet in the case.

    “From the case paper it is reflected that he (Dasgupta) is the mastermind of the entire crime,” the sessions judge had said in his order.

    “He (Dasgupta) is acting in capacity of CEO to manipulate television ratings through mechanical device and it is disclosed that he was in contact with a television channel owner,” he said.

    The judge, however, said that before drawing any conclusions, a thorough probe into the case, and a “face to face” interrogation of Dasgupta was required, and therefore, he could not be let out on bail.

    Last month, Dasgupta had been rushed to the state-run JJ hospital in Mumbai from the Taloja prison in Navi Mumbai, after his blood sugar levels went up and he fell unconscious.

    He was discharged from the hospital ICU on the evening of January 22.

    Following his discharge, Dasgupta’s lawyers had moved the HC seeking an urgent hearing on his bail plea.

  • BARC ex-CEO Partho Dasgupta’s condition stable: Mumbai Police tell HC

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Mumbai police told the Bombay High Court on Monday that the health condition of Broadcast Audience Research Council’s former CEO Partho Dasgupta, arrested in an alleged TRP rigging scam, is stable.

    The police’s counsel, Deepak Thakare, told a bench of Justice P D Naik that Dasgupta was being provided all required medical care in the Taloja prison in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, where he is lodged as an undertrial.

    The HC was hearing a bail plea filed by Dasgupta.

    Dasgupta’s counsel Shardul Singh urged the HC to grant him bail, saying though his medical reports stated he was stable, Dasgupta suffered from a medical condition that caused him to lose consciousness often.

    Singh also said that all other accused persons in the case were out on bail.

    At this, the bench asked who was the main accused person in the case. “Arnab Goswami,” Singh said, referring to Republic TV’s editor-in-chief. Singh also informed the court that a charge sheet had already been filed in the case.

    On January 19, a sessions court in Mumbai rejected Dasgupta’s bail plea.

    Singh said the court’s detailed order recording reasons for refusing bail to Dasgupta had not been made available to the parties yet.

    Justice Naik, therefore, adjourned the hearing on the bail plea to February 2, and asked the advocates in the case to submit a copy of the charge sheet and the lower court order by then.

    The high court recorded the police’s statement that Dasgupta had been “provided with medications and he will be given the same medical treatment that he was receiving at the J J Hospital, as and when required”.

    The HC also said if there is any medical emergency, then Dasgupta should be sent to the J J Hospital, a government-run medical facility in Mumbai.

    Last week, Dasgupta was rushed to the J J Hospital from the Taloja prison after his blood sugar levels went up and he fell unconscious.

    He was admitted to the J J Hospital’s ICU, and was discharged on January 22.

    Following the discharge, his lawyers moved the HC for an urgent hearing, seeking that Dasgupta be shifted to a private hospital here and that he be granted interim bail for at least two weeks.

    Dasgupta was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch on December 24 last year.

    The fake Television Rating Points (TRP) scam came to light last year when ratings agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) filed a complaint through Hansa Research Group, alleging that certain television channels were rigging TRP numbers.

    Hansa had been tasked with installing barometers, which record viewership data (which channel has been watched and for how long) at sample households.

    The TRP is important as advertising revenue of channels depends on it.

  • TRP case: Ex-BARC CEO discharged from hospital, bail plea on Monday

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Friday directed the Maharashtra government to submit by Monday the medical report of Partho Dasgupta, former Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) CEO arrested in the television rating points (TRP) rigging scam.

    A single bench of Justice PD Naik heard an urgent bail plea this evening, filed by Dasgupta’s counsels, seeking interim bail for at least two weeks considering his poor health.

    Last week, Dasgupta was rushed to JJ Hospital from the Taloja prison, where he is lodged as an undertrial after his blood sugar levels shot up and he fell unconscious.

    Dasgupta was discharged this evening, after which his lawyers moved HC seeking an urgent hearing.

    “He was discharged from JJ Hospital on a stretcher. If he was fit enough to be discharged, then he should have been walking out and not been carried out on a stretcher,” said Dasgupta’s counsel Arjun Singh Thakur.

    The state’s counsel, Deepak Thakare, told HC that as per protocol since the JJ hospital had certified Dasgupta to be fit for discharge, he will be taken to the Taloja prison hospital.

    If he is certified as fit, he will be shifted to his prison cell, or else, he will be taken back to JJ hospital, Thakare said.

    “So, the court directed that the state produce his (Dasgupta’s) latest medical reports. And it will hear our urgent bail plea on Monday,” advocate Thakur said.

    Dasgupta was arrested by the Mumbai crime branch on December 24 last year.

    Earlier this week, a sessions court here rejected his bail plea saying he played a vital role in the TRP scam.

  • TRP scam: Uddhav government starts gathering information on chats between Arnab Goswami, ex-BARC CEO

    By PTI
    NASHIK: The Maharashtra government is gathering information about the leaked social media chats between Arnab Goswami and BARC ex-CEO Partho Dasgupta in which highly sensitive things like Balakot airstrike and Pulwama attack were mentioned, Home Minister Anil Deshmukh has said, adding the issue will be discussed by the Cabinet on Tuesday.

    The purported chats widely reported in media mentioned that Goswami, the editor-in-chief of Republic TV, was privy to the Balakot air strikes.

    Speaking to reporters here on Monday night, Deshmukh said how Goswami came to know about such sensitive information is a big question.

    “We are gathering information about the leaked chats between Arnab Goswami and Partho Dasgupta. Some highly sensitive things including the Balakot airstrike and the Pulwama attack have been mentioned in the chats. How Arnab came to know about such sensitive information is a big question,” Deshmukh said.

    He said the state Cabinet is scheduled to meet on Tuesday in Mumbai.

    “After the meeting, a decision about this issue will be taken,” Deshmukh said.

    ALSO READ | Bhupesh Baghel seeks SC-monitored probe in Arnab Goswami’s purported chats with ex-BARC chief

    Earlier in the day, the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) asked the government to set up a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the purported chats between Goswami and Dasgupta.

    Dasgupta, who was arrested in the fake Television Rating Point (TRP) case, is now in the ICU of state-run JJ hospital in central Mumbai.

    A diabetic, he was rushed to the hospital from the Taloja Central Prison in Navi Mumbai on Saturday after his blood sugar levels went up on Friday midnight.

    The Mumbai police had earlier told the court that Goswami had allegedly bribed Dasgupta with lakhs of rupees to ramp up Republic TV’s viewership.

    Meanwhile, the home minister attended a review meeting of the police department organised at the Maharashtra Police Academy (MPA) here.

    ALSO READ | National security issues reduced to ‘TRP tamasha’: Mehbooba attacks Arnab Goswami

    On the occasion, Deshmukh lauded the facilities available at the MPA and expressed satisfaction about the low crime rate in Nashik.

    Deshmukh hailed the successful initiative of Pratap Dighavkar, Special IG, Nashik Range, to give back the money of farmers duped by unscrupulous traders.

    “We will try to implement this measure at the state level,” the home minister said.

  • Bhupesh Baghel seeks SC-monitored probe in Arnab Goswami’s purported chats with ex-BARC chief

    By PTI
    RAIPUR: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel on Monday sought a Supreme Court-monitored probe into the purported chats between Republic TV Editor-in- Chief Arnab Goswami and former Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) head Partho Dasgupta.

    Asked about the purported chats widely reported in the media which mentioned that Goswami was privy to the 2019 Balakot air strikes in Pakistan, Baghel said the matter pertains to national security.

    He was speaking to reporters here before leaving on a two-day visit to Assam, where he is a Congress observer for overseeing campaign management in the poll-bound north-eastern state.

    On the ‘chatgate’, the CM said, This is dangerous for the country’s security.

    How come such highly confidential information was known to a journalist? “If it has happened then the judiciary and the NIA should take suo motu cognisance of the matter.”

    Baghel asked the Centre to clarify its stand.

    The Centre should clarify that how he (Goswami) had information about it and why it is being covered up.

    The matter should be probed under the supervision of a sitting judge of the Supreme Court as it is linked to the nation’s security.

    “There should be no politics on the issue and an impartial inquiry should be conducted into the matter,” he said.

    Dasgupta, who was arrested in the fake Television Rating Point (TRP) case, is now in the ICU of state-run JJ hospital in central Mumbai.

    The Mumbai police had earlier told the court that Goswami had allegedly bribed Dasgupta to ramp up Republic TV’s viewership.

    Meanwhile, Baghel slammed the BJP over notices served by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to farmer leaders protesting against the Centre’s new agriculture laws, and asserted the saffron partys attempts to “suppress” cultivators movement would not scare them.

    Whenever a protest takes place, the BJP tries to defame it.

    They have been labeling this movement (against new farm laws) as ‘Pakistan-backed, China-backed and Khalistani- supported’.

    “Despite all these allegations, farmers have so far stood firmly on their demand. Now, those who are heading the farmers protest are served notices by the NIA.”

    The Congress leader said the protesting farmers will not be scared into withdrawing their agitation.

    “No matter how much they (BJP) try to suppress their movement, I dont believe that farmers will be afraid and retreat,” Baghel added.

  • NCP demands JPC on purported chats between Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami, BARC head Partho Dasgupta

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday asked the government to set up a Joint Parliamentary Committee to probe the purported chats between Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami and former Broadcast Audience Research Council head Partho Dasgupta.

    Referring to the purported chats widely reported in media which mentioned that Goswami was privy to the Balakot airstrikes, NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said, “It is extremely shocking and disturbing to know how issues related to national security have been used to gain TRPs.”

    Tapase said he will meet Maharashtra Home Minister Anil Deshmukh on Tuesday on the issue and seek clarification from Union Home Minister Amit Shah on the ‘chatgate’.

    “The question also arises how Arnab was privy to such sensitive information. The Ministry of Home Affairs has to identify the source and immediately take action,” he said.

    ALSO READ: Probe Balakot air strike info leak – Opposition

    Goswami has been at the forefront in maligning the image of the Mumbai police and also the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in the state, Tapase claimed.

    “In his TV debates, he tried to give a communal angle to the Palghar incident. The Sushant Singh Rajput death case was blown out of proportion and a false narrative was set. All this was done with the sole intention to destabilise the MVA government,” Tapase said.

    The BJP should clarify its position on Arnab Goswami, he said.

    Dasgupta, who was arrested in the fake Television Rating Point (TRP) case, is now in the ICU of state-run JJ hospital in central Mumbai.

    A diabetic, he was rushed to the hospital from the Taloja Central Prison in Navi Mumbai on Saturday after his blood sugar levels went up on Friday midnight.

    The Mumbai police had earlier told the court that Goswami had allegedly bribed Dasgupta with lakhs of rupees to ramp up Republic TV’s viewership.

  • TRP scam: Condition of ex-CEO of BARC Partho Dasgupta stable, say doctors

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: The health condition of Partho Dasgupta, a former CEO of TV ratings agency BARC who was arrested in the Television Rating Points (TRP) rigging case, is stable but he is still in the ICU of JJ Hospital here, a senior official said on Sunday.

    Dasgupta, 55, a diabetic, was rushed to the state-run hospital in central Mumbai from the Taloja Central Prison in Navi Mumbai in the early hours of Saturday after his blood sugar levels shot up, a prison official had said, adding that he was put on oxygen support.

    “Dasgupta was admitted to the ICU of the hospital after his blood sugar level shot up. He is still in the same department but is stable. A team of physicians is monitoring his health,” JJ Hospital superintendent Dr Sanjay Surase said on Sunday.

    Dasgupta was arrested in the alleged TRP rigging scam by crime branch of the Mumbai Police on December 24 last year.

    A Mumbai court had earlier this month rejected his bail plea, stating that he appeared to have played a vital role in the scam to rig TRP as per the police’s case.

    The Mumbai Police had earlier told the court that Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami had allegedly bribed Dasgupta with “lakhs of rupees” to ramp up the news channel’s viewership numbers fraudulently.

  • Probe Balakot air strike info leak: Opposition

    By Express News Service
    MUMBAI: Opposition parties, mainly the Congress, have demanded an investigation into the purported WhatsApp chat between Republic TV editor Arnab Goswami and former Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) CEO Partho Dasgupta in which the former is alleged to have told the incarcerated executive that India would strike at Pakistan three days before the actual airstrike against terror targets at Balakot in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

    The purported conversation, on February 23, 2019, revealed that the government had planned the airstrike “in a way” that the people would be “elated” at “something major”.

    Three days later, on February 26, the IAF conducted an aerial strike at a terror training centre in Balakot of Pakistan’s Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in retaliation for the February 14 Pulwama terror attack in which 40 CRPF personnel had died.

    The Opposition said the alleged leak of classified military information in advance amounted to treason and they should be prosecuted. The WhatsApp chats are part of the Mumbai Police’s charge sheet, submittedbefore a court, in connection with the case of alleged manipulation of TRPs by news channels, including Republic TV.

    Demanding a probe into the purported conversation, senior Congress leader and minister in the Chhattisgarh government T S Singh Deo tweeted: “It’s a major security lapse if our military secrets & strategies on Balakot strike were leaked by someone in Central Govt to pvt players for their benefit. This calls for an investigation & prosecution of culprits. Leaking of classified millitary information amounts to treason.”

    Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi suspected that “someone very senior in the government” could be leaking the confidential information.

    “Arnab’s chats dated 23.02.2019 refer to sharing of Intel reaction along the Pak border. It means someone very senior in Govt is leaking highly confidential info which may endanger the lives of our soldiers & so that mercenary considerations can add to TRPs,” he tweeted.

    Maharashtra Congress spokesperson Sachin Sawant said the party has decided to meet the state home minister, Anil Deshmukh, with a complaint against Goswami over the issue. Meanwhile, Dasgupta was admitted in the government-run JJ hospital late on Friday night. He was arrested and lodged in Taloja jail.

    Sanjay Surase, superintendent of the hospital, said the sugar level of Dasgupta had spiked and the oxygen level had come down.

    “He is admitted in ICU and he is stable now. He is diabetic. We have given him oxygen and are closely monitor his health; there is nothing to worry,” Surase said.

    Dasgupta’s daughter, Pratyusha Dasgupta, tweeted that her father was brought in an unconscious condition from the jail to the hospital. 

    “But no one from our family was informed about my father’s health… My father was suffering numerous ailments that include diabetic, hypertension, and ankylosing spondylities and autoimmune disorder. He has been ill treated and traumatized, therefore he should be shifted to private hospital. We are ready to bear the cost of his medical expenses,” she tweeted.

  • TRP scam: Ex-CEO of BARC hospitalised

    By PTI
    MUMBAI: Former CEO of ratings agency BARC, Partho Dasgupta, who was arrestedin the alleged fake Television Ratings Point (TRP) case, has been admitted in the ICU of state-run JJ hospital in central Mumbai, an official said on Saturday.

    Dasgupta, a diabetic, was rushed to the hospital from the Taloja Central Prison in Navi Mumbai in the early hours of Saturday after his blood sugar levels went up on Friday midnight.

    Dasgupta was admitted to the ICU of JJ hospital and is on Oxygen support, he said.

    Dasgupta was arrested in the alleged TRP rigging scam by crime branch of the Mumbai Police on December 24 last year.

    A Mumbai court had earlier this month rejected the bail plea of Dasgupta, stating that he played a vital role in the scam.

    The Mumbai Police had earlier told the court that Republic TV Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami had allegedly bribed Dasgupta with “lakhs of rupees” to ramp up the news channels viewership.