Hansa takes Param Bir, Vaze & Maha govt to court; alleges threats to implicate Republic

In a sensational twist in the alleged TRP manipulation case, the Hansa Research Group Private Ltd, the original complainant in the case has filed a writ petition in the Bombay High Court against Senior officer Sachin Vaze, Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh and the state of Maharashtra. This comes after Hansa Group had issued a statement last Friday, completely busting the factually flawed and fake narrative of a 'money trail' between Republic TV & Hansa Research as floated by Param Bir Singh-led Mumbai police in its witch-hunt. The absence of this money trail was later also ratified by an independent auditor.

Mumbai cops harassing its employees, Hansa Group alleges

In its petition, Hansa Research Group has said that encounter cop Sachin Vaze was threatening Hansa members to implicate Republic TV, adding details of how its members had to go undergo illegal detention of not categorically identifying report shown on Republic TV as a fake one. The Hansa Group has also alleged that the Promoter-director of the companies was threatened with arrest on October 26. 

The Hansa Group has also approached the Home Secretary, DGP, JCP and others in the Maharashtra Government to stop the harassment of its personnel, the petition states. The Hansa Group accusing Mumbai Police of bias and prejudice has stated that they seek to restrain Sachin Vaze from resorting to illegal methods in treating the petitioner - i.e The Hansa Group. It seeks that the court ensures the cops follow due procedure.

Fake TRP Case against Republic falls apart

With Hansa Vision putting out a statement with the full facts and audit report, the lies of Param Bir Singh and the Mumbai Police were exposed. 

The Hansa Vision statement said, “Hansa Vision, emphatically rejects the allegation of any illegal transaction between Republic TV and itself. On the specific request of Hansa Vision, its statutory Auditor Guru & Ram LLP has certified the accounts and certified the normal routine business transactions entered by Hansa Vision & ARG Outlier Media Pvt Ltd and that that there are no other transactions with them. It was further clarified by them that Hansa Vision has not been a recipient of any money from Republic TV. ”

READ | Mumbai Police continues to lie on Hansa-Republic dealings, Network to take legal action

READ | Auditors clear Hansa Vision-Republic deal, watch Arnab’s message as fake case falls apart

What is the alleged TRP scam?

Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh had held a press conference to share details of an alleged 'TRP scam' into which the police were probing - naming Republic TV and two Marathi channels - Fakht Marathi and Box Cinema. Mumbai police has arrested 10 people till date including Hansa research's ex-employee Vishal Bhandari and ex-staffer Bomapalli Rao Mistri in connection with this case. While Param Bir Singh named Republic TV, neither the FIR, remand copy nor the arrested individuals' statements mention the channel, instead it names India Today. The complaint based on which the FIR was filed also, similarly, didn't name Republic TV, Republic Bharat or any other affiliate or the Republic Media Network.

The Supreme Court had also raised concerns about Param Bir Singh's statements in the media regarding the case. Already, the Maharashtra government has admitted before the Bombay High Court that Republic TV was not named in the original FIR. The HC too acknowledged that Arnab Goswami is not an accused in the case.

READ | Fake case against Republic falls apart after auditors clear Hansa Vision-Republic deal

READ | Hansa exposes ‘money-trail’ claim, slams allegation of illegal transaction with Republic