Republic to Param Bir Singh: 20 questions for you today

As part of Republic’s campaign for the truth, we will be using our on-air and digital platforms to ask Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh 20 questions over the next few days. We would also like to officially state that Param Bir Singh has an open invitation from Republic Media Network for a one-on-one interview with Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami at a time of mutual convenience. 

While we await Mr Param Bir Singh’s response to our interview request, here are Republic’s first set of 20 questions to Param Bir Singh. These specifically pertain to the events preceding his news conference on 8th October 2020 wherein he made allegations against the Republic Media Network vis-a-vis TRP manipulation. 

20 Questions from Republic

1. Given that the FIR dated 6 October 2020 did not name Republic TV, what hard evidence did you unearth vis-a-vis the Network in the 48 hours prior to his news conference on the matter? 

2. At what specific time and with what specific details was the investigations undertaken? What were the detailed findings concluded thereof between the filing of the FIR in the Kandivali Police Station on the 6th of October and the 8th of October given that the channel named in the FIR and those named in the news conference were different? 

3. Did you personally monitor the investigation and examine the evidence between the filing of the FIR and your news conference? If so, what cogent, verifiable and complete evidence did you gather after the registration of the FIR that necessitated your news conference? 

4. Could you detail how you completed an investigation into an FIR which doesn’t name Republic within 48 hours and found enough reason to say Republic’s ad revenues were “proceeds of crime” at your news conference? Was the claim baseless or did you acquire incontrovertible proof in 48 hours? 

5. If you had gathered and personally examined verified and cogent proof of Republic TV’s culpability in the TRP manipulation case, why didn’t you present it publicly and in detail in your news conference dated 8th October 2020?

6. Given that the FIR filed was based on a Hansa Complaint, did or didn’t your thorough investigations prior to the news conference on 8 October 2020 lead you to the information in the Hansa document? If so, were you aware that a Hansa Research document named India Today and not Republic?

7. The police complaint was filed by Hansa Research. In the 48 hour period ahead of the press conference, did you speak to them as part of the investigation? If so, did Hansa Research name Republic TV? If not, on what basis did you personally paint the narrative that the news organisation had suspectedly manipulated TRPs ?

8. Did or didn’t your investigations of high standards prior to your news conference on 8 October 2020 lead you to investigate entities named in the FIR? If so, were you or were you not aware that there was a show cause notice sent by BARC to India Today (which was also named in the FIR in question) on 27 April, 2020 for “an abnormal and inexplicable increase in viewership”? If not, would you say your investigations prior to the news conference were at a nascent stage? 

9. When the procedure after filing an FIR is to record statements of all witnesses and investigate the case before filing the final report, what such investigation was undertaken by you with respect to the channel mentioned in the FIR and who did you specifically summon vis-a-vis management, editorial staff, distribution team and other departments?

10. While giving the channel named in the FIR a clean chit within 48 hours of an FIR being filed, were you or were you not aware that BARC fined India Today Rs. 5 lakh in July 2020 for a matter relating to alleged TRP manipulation?  If not, would you say that your investigation prior to the news conference was premature?  

11. If applicable, what was your conversation with BARC following the FIR being filed and what specific information did you have at your disposal vis-a-vis the rating agency? If you did not engage BARC, what was your reason given the nature of alleged crime falls within their domain? 

12. If you had a conversation with BARC, did BARC overtly name Republic in connection with any malpractice and provide any concrete proof against the Network prior to your news conference? If so, why didn’t this alleged proof find a mention in your news conference? 

13. Was there any active or tacit attempt by you to cover up the true details of the FIR filed on 6th October,  in the period between the 6th October and 8th October?

14. Will you confirm or deny whether there were any direct or indirect conversations between you and the proprietors, editors and/or consulting editors of any news organisation before the press conference on 8th October? If so, can this be seen as collusion?  What is your view? 

15. Do you believe it is a matter of suspicion as to how there was a reporting team standing in front of Arnab Goswami’s residence in Central Mumbai even prior to your press conference on 8th October 2020? Could this have been possible without insider information of a police investigation being leaked to the channel?

16. In addition, do you confirm or deny if certain members of the media had any direct, indirect, active or tacit information about the contents of your press conference in advance?

17. Did you have any parallel line of communication (apart from and after your news conference) with any media organisation ahead of your press conference?  If you did, do you believe it defies due procedure?

18. Did you speak to any politician or state minister in the period that followed the filing of the FIR on 6th October and the press conference on 8th October 2020? If so, did you discuss the TRP matter? Please disclose the contents of the conversations. 

19. Why was Republic Media Network’s reporter who was present at your news conference on 8th October dragged out by an officer before it commenced? Did you give instructions for the same? If not, was action taken against the concerned officers? 

20. Given the fact that the allegation you made against us was that of giving viewers monetary compensation for watching Republic TV, what specific monetary transaction(s) of alleged wrongdoing between Republic and viewer(s) did you find as part of your investigations prior to your news conference on 8 October 2020 to corroborate your claim?