In TRP case, OpIndia to hand over witness coercion tapes to CBI on November 6 at 2 pm

In a big development, sources told Republic TV that OpIndia shall hand over the tapes which allege coercion of a witness in the TRP scam case to the CBI on Friday. While Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh accused Republic TV of rigging TRPs by paying viewers to keep its channel on for longer periods, the tapes indicate that the Mumbai Police is allegedly forcing panel home viewers to falsely implicate Republic. Earlier, the CBI registered a case to probe the allegations of TRP manipulation against unknown individuals. While the FIR was originally registered at the Hazratganj Police station in Lucknow reportedly on the complaint of an advertising company promoter, the Uttar Pradesh government recommended the transfer of the case to the CBI.

Earlier, OpIndia Editor Nupur J Sharma had received formal communication from the Central Bureau of Investigation seeking the tapes.

Read: Amid TRP Case, Uddhav Blocks CBI From Probing Cases In Maharashtra; Withdraws Consent

What do the OpIndia tapes depict? 

In a sensational disclosure on October 23, an OpIndia report revealed what it alleges to be an attempt by Mumbai Police to coerce a witness to say that he was being paid to watch Republic Bharat. OpIndia has exclusively accessed a tape between a person having Bar-O-Meter installed at his home (a witness in the alleged TRP scam) and his neighbour. According to the recorded conversation, the witness tells his neighbour that 10-12 policemen along with an arrested person named Umesh barged into his house at 3.30 am.

He narrates that while he was not home at that time, the police allegedly asked his family about how much money they have received for watching a certain channel; who gave them the money and in whose account the money was received? The arrested person (Umesh) claimed that he had paid the family Rs.500 in cash and Rs.200 in a bank account. As per the OpIndia report, the witness' son told the police that they "just watch NewsNation when his father is at home". However, the police personnel purportedly told them to name Republic Bharat, which the witness claimed was "already written in their papers". 

Alleging that the Maharashtra government is against the Republic Media Network, the neighbour told the witness in the tape that his family should clearly tell the police "that NewsNation pays them and not Republic Bharat". Thereafter, the person having Bar-O-Meter installed at his home got nervous and said that "the police will also implicate him in false allegations". The OpIndia report quoted the neighbour as saying, "He (witness) is extremely worried about the “lafda” with the police and courts, and sounds increasingly agitated about the prospect of being dragged into the mess." The lawyer of the arrested person Umesh told OpIndia that the witness was connected to his client and confirmed that he (the witness) had spoken with his neighbour. 

Read: India Today Fined 5 Lakh By BARC For Viewership Malpractice: OpIndia Bags Stunning Expose

Read: Shocking OpIndia Report Of Witness Coercion In The TRP Case Out; Probe Comes Under Cloud?