Persecution continues, Mumbai Police now arrests Republic’s Assistant VP in fake TRP case

In a brazen misuse of power, Republic Media Network’s Assistant Vice President Mr. Ghanshyam Singh was arrested this morning at 7:40 am by Mumbai Police. Republic Media Network is shocked at unchecked malicious campaign of Mumbai Police that is determined to falsely target and desperately implicate Republic and its members. It is clear this is part of same vendetta-driven, vengeful and motivated campaign of Maharashtra state machinery that assaulted and arrested Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami. 

As Arnab Goswami spends his 7th day in judicial custody and Ghanshyam Singh is arrested on baseless grounds, re has never been a more terrifying state of affairs vis-a-vis an elected machinery exploiting its offices and violating due process to clamp down on an independent media organisation. History is witness to state excesses being deployed in Maharashtra and shall not forgive or forget those who exercised it.

Mr. Ghanshyam Singh who hes Republic Media Network’s Western Region Distribution has continuously cooperated with Mumbai Police in case. In fact, in spirit of cooperation even in a fake and hollow case, he continually appeared before Mumbai Police on numerous occasions. He has cooperated throughout and answered all questions of police to best of his knowledge and ability. Ghanshyam has personally been through over 40 hours of semi-custodial interrogation, and his current detention crafts a new low in highhanded tactics of law and order machinery in state of Maharashtra which is functioning unchecked.

Ghanshyam has been booked under frivolous sections in a fake TRP manipulation case, which itself doesn’t stand vis-a-vis evidence. It is significant to reiterate that despite Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh’s October 8th news conference on TRP matter, neir he nor Mumbai Police has been able to present a single piece of hard evidence linking Republic Media Network to TRP scam. refore, Ghanshyam’s arrest, like Arnab’s illegal arrest, is born out of prescripted vendetta inste of evidence and facts.

entire TRP case against Republic has been concocted on basis of an FIR that names anor channel. It is well known that a document by complainant Hansa Research Group Pvt Ltd names same channel which is in FIR and not Republic. ditionally, it is now in public domain and before a court of law that Hansa has filed a case that alleges Mumbai Police Commissioner, Sachin Vaze and state of Maharashtra were harassing top brass of company to implicate Republic Media Network in TRP case. 

While re is no link between Republic TV or any of its affiliates with TRP manipulation case, re is a mountain of evidence— from testimonies to witness coercion tapes— that indicates vicious plot to embroil Republic in a fake TRP manipulation case that it has no connection or relation to. 

Republic Media Network and people recognise that all such acts of malice are aimed to throttle network, its news coverage ability and reby attempt to mow down any semblance of a free press in state of Maharashtra. Coercive methods, illegal arrests, baseless detentions and overtly false cases will not stop Republic from doing its journalistic duty, or from fighting against this anarchy in courts of law and courts of public opinion. 

We appeal to right-thinking citizens to raise ir voice and continue ir campaign for justice. 

Like truth, we stand firmly with Ghanshyam Singh and Arnab Goswami and will continue to fight for justice to prevail.