Hansa Research CEO Praveen Nijhara | Photo credit: ANI
Mumbai, Maharashtra: Hansa Research Group and Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC), which carried out an investigation into the Television Rating Points (TRP) affair in recent weeks, have filed an FIR against a former employee who participated in a crime, Hansa. Research executive director Praveen Nijhara said Thursday.
In an official statement, Hansa’s CEO said: “Hansa Research has always been vigilant about these issues and has been proactive in informing BARC and law enforcement agencies when such cases come to our attention. We will continue to cooperate with BARC. and with the authorities when requested. “
This statement by Hansa follows today’s press conference by Mumbai Police Commissioner Param Bir Singh, in which he claimed to have blown up a scandal involving private television channels manipulating his TRPs.
The police action began as a result of a complaint by Hansa, the firm hired by BARC, to place audience meters to track the television channels that are being watched by households.
Singh said that around 30,000 of these meters had been installed across India, of which 2,000 were in Mumbai. He said Mumbai police discovered that several people where these meters were placed were “paid money to tune in to a selected channel.”
He further said that the owners of two local channels had been arrested along with a former Hansa employee, who is suspected of leaking communication about the meters placed in homes.
The case has been registered at the Kandivali Police Station. The defendants were presented to the court and sent to police custody until October 9.
