Arnab Goswami paid Partho Dasgupta Rs 40 lakh to manipulate TRP: Charge sheet

Agencies
January 25, 2021

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After a series of WhatsApp messages between Arnab Goswami and Partho Dasgupta was exposed, including some with bearing on national security, a startling disclosure has now come to light -- an exchange of money between the two was also involved.

Dasgupta was the chief executive officer of Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) from June, 2013-November, 2019, while Goswami is the editor-in-chief of Republic Media Network.

Dasgupta, who was arrested by the Crime Intelligence Unit of CID, Mumbai Police, has, in a statement, revealed that he received a total of Rs 40 lakh and $12,000 from Goswami over three years for manipulating TRPs.

The statement is part of the supplementary charge sheet that the Mumbai Police has filed vis-a-vis the TRP scam.

It may be mentioned that in the remand application too, the CIU has indicated that the TRPs were manipulated by way of a criminal conspiracy.

The Mumbai Police, when contacted, refused to comment on the issue.

Meanwhile, NCP chief spokesperson Mahesh Tapase said Goswami was driving an agenda to destabilise the Maha Vikas Aghadi government in Maharashtra on the basis of false TRP ratings.

“He had a clear agenda to manipulate the minds of viewers against the MVA leaders and the government,” he said.

Tapase added: “It is distressing to note that Arnab Goswami who portrayed himself as an anchor to stand by the truth and to expose irregularities in the government has himself used unfair and manipulative ways and means to further his business interests thereby earning huge profits through coercive means. The media is considered as the fourth estate of democracy and is looked upon by the citizens as torchbearers of truth. Such attempts of manipulation have left the Indian viewers aghast.”

Lawyer-activist Prashant Bhushan, who had tweeted about the Arnab-Partho WhatsApp chats, said: “The Don is missing! "Arnab Goswami paid me $12,000 and Rs 40 lakh to fix ratings: Partho Dasgupta. A 3,600-page supplementary chargesheet, filed by Mumbai Police includes a BARC forensic audit report, WhatsApp chats and statements of 59 persons".

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News Network
November 15,2024

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Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) has killed or captured 69 terrorists linked to the Israeli spy agency Mossad during a major counterterrorism drill in the country's southeast, its spokesman says.  

General Ahmad Shafaei, the spokesman for the “Martyrs of Security” drill, said Friday that a total of 23 terrorists have been killed and another 46 arrested in various clean-up operations ever since the IRGC Ground Force launched it in the Sistan and Baluchestan province on November 1.

Seven terrorists have also turned themselves in during the period.

“The undeniable fact about terrorists is that they rely on arrogant powers, particularly the intelligence service of the wicked and vicious Zionist regime," Shafaei said.

“Unfortunately, weapons and munitions at terrorists’ disposal are among the most sophisticated ones in the world. This accounts for their heavy dependence.” 

The official stated that several members of the disbanded terror teams were non-Iranian nationals, who had been hired by foreign intelligence agencies to carry out acts of sabotage and terror inside Iran.

In a most recent operation, six terrorists were arrested and four others were eliminated, three of whom were non-Iranians, he added. 

On October 26, ten members of Iran's law enforcement forces were killed in a terrorist attack in the Gohar Kuh district of Taftan in the Sistan and Baluchestan province.

The so-called Jaish al-Adl terrorist group claimed responsibility for the assault, which was one of the deadliest in the province in recent months.

The group has carried out numerous terrorist attacks in Iran, primarily in Sistan and Baluchestan.

Its tactics include the abduction of border guards as well as targeting civilians and police stations within the province to incite chaos and disorder.

In January, Iran launched a military operation during which the headquarters of the Pakistan-based terrorist group was targeted in missile strikes, destroying its infrastructure.

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News Network
November 15,2024

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Union minister Amit Shah on Friday, November 15, said PM Narendra Modi will amend the Waqf Act despite opposition from leaders like Uddhav Thackeray and Sharad Pawar.

"Modi ji wants to change the Waqf Board law, but Uddhav ji, Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule are opposing it," Shah said, addressing a rally at Umarkhed in Maharashtra's Yavatmal district.

"Uddhav ji, listen carefully, you all can protest as much as you want, but Modi ji will amend the Waqf Act," he said. Shah said there are two camps in the November 20 Maharashtra assembly polls, one of 'Pandavas' represented by the BJP-led Mahayuti and the other of 'Kauravas' represented by Maha Vikas Aghadi.

"Uddhav Thackeray claims that his Shiv Sena is the real one. Can the real Shiv Sena go against renaming Aurangabad to Sambhajinagar? Can the real Shiv Sena go against renaming Ahmednagar to Ahilyanagar? The real Shiv Sena stands with the BJP," Shah said.

"Rahul Baba used to say that his government would credit money in the accounts of the people instantly. You were unable to fulfil your promises in Himachal, Karnataka, and Telangana," he said.

Shah said the Mahayuti alliance has promised that women will get Rs 2,100 per month under the Ladki Bahin Yojana. "Kashmir is an integral part of India and no power in the world can snatch it away from us," Shah said.

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News Network
November 16,2024

Mangaluru: The Kavoor police in Mangaluru, Karnataka, have arrested three individuals from Kerala in connection with two separate cybercrime cases, including one involving extortion under the guise of a "digital arrest."

City Commissioner of Police Anupam Agrawal reported that one of the arrested individuals, Nisar, a resident of Ernakulam district, posed as a CBI officer. He allegedly threatened the complainant with arrest and extorted Rs 68 lakh. A case has been filed under sections 66 (C) and 66 (D) of the IT Act, and sections 308 (2) and 381 (4) of BNS.

In another case, the Kavoor police arrested two men, Sahil K P of Thiruvannur, Kozhikode, and Muhammad Nashath of Mappila Koyilandy, Kerala, in connection with a share trade fraud. The accused are alleged to have deceived the complainant by promising substantial profits from an investment in the stock market. Trusting the fraudsters, the complainant invested Rs 90 lakh, which was subsequently lost. A case has been registered under sections 66 (C) and 66 (D) of the IT Act, and sections 318 (4) and 3 (5) of BNS.

The accused were arrested in Koyilandi and presented before the court. The operation was carried out under the guidance of City Police Commissioner Anupam Agrawal, led by Mangaluru North Sub-Division ACP Srikanth K, Kavoor Inspector Raghavendra Byndoor, Kavoor PSI Mallikarjuna Biradara, and staff members Ramanna Shetty, Bhuvaneshwari, Rajappa Kashibai, Praveen N, and Malatesh. 

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