The Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday has attached assets worth 32 crores to some television channels in Maharashtra in connection with the investigation of money laundering in the alleged TRP scam. These assets are related to channels such as Fakt Marathi, Box Cinema and Maha Movie, under the provisions of the Properties of Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA). It has been informed by the Central Investigation Agency that these properties include land, commercial and residential units in Mumbai, Indore, Delhi and Gurgaon.
Giving information on behalf of the agency, it has been claimed that out of the channels on which action has been taken, two channels have a reach of 25 per cent in the audience of Mumbai; While the third channel holds up to 12 percent. The investigating agency had registered a case of money laundering against all these channels after studying the FIR lodged by the Mumbai Police in the case of alleged manipulation of television rating points. The ED has claimed that these channels exaggerated the TRP rating and took a strong advertisement in the name of TRP.
The ED has said that the assets of channels like ‘Fakt Marathi’, ‘Box Cinema’ and ‘Maha Movie’ have been confiscated under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. TRP indicates the popularity of a TV channel or program. In addition, it enables advertisers to understand audience patterns.
The investigating agency has said that apart from some bank deposits, properties in Mumbai, Indore, Delhi and Gurugram have been seized. The ED had registered a case of money laundering against the channels after the Mumbai police filed an FIR for allegedly incorrectly increasing the TRP.
On the other hand, the Bombay High Court asked the Mumbai Police what was the reason for the press conference convened last year regarding the alleged Television Rating Points (TRP) scam. A bench of Justice SS Shinde and Justice Manish Pitale asked, “Is it the responsibility of the police to communicate with the press?” .Why did the police commissioner have to talk to the press?
The court is hearing the petitions of ARG Outlier Media Private Limited and journalist Arnab Goswami, which owns the Republic TV channel.