Arnab Goswami had conspired with BARC CEO to illegally tamper with TRPs: Police

News Network
June 23, 2021

Mumbai, June 23: Senior television journalist Arnab Goswami illegally tampered with the TRPs in connivance of the then CEO of the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) Partho Dasgupta to improve ratings of Republic TV channels and paid him for his help, as per the supplementary charge sheet filed by the Mumbai Police who cited Whatsapp chats between the duo as a "crucial evidence".

The Crime Intelligence Unit (CIU) of the Mumbai Police on Tuesday filed a third charge sheet before a magistrate's court here in the alleged fake Television Ratings Points (TRP) scam. Besides Goswami, the Editor-in-Chief of Republic TV, and ARG Outlier Media that runs Republic TV channels, the police also named six other accused including some employees of Republic group channels in the latest charge sheet.

"We have found evidence to show they (Goswami and Dasgupta) had exchanged confidential information about the BARC repeatedly to benefit Goswami's channels," the charge sheet said. During the period between June 2017 and March 2018 when Dasgupta was working with the BARC, the TRP ratings of an English news channel were illegally manipulated so that they fall below the TRPs of Republic TV channels, which resulted in Rs 431 crore loss to that channel, police said, citing the statement of an executive of the news channel. 

Police further said they possess the evidence to show that Goswami had paid Dasgupta in return for the latter's assistance in manipulating the TRPs, "which was evident from the jewellery and expensive items seized from Dasgupta's residence", the charge sheet said. Dasgupta, who had been named as accused in the previous charge sheet, was arrested in December last year.

He is currently out on bail. The first charge sheet in the TRP rigging case, filed in November last year, had named Dasgupta and Republic TV CEO Vikash Khanchandani. The alleged fake TRP scam came to light in October last year when the rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) filed a complaint through Hansa Research Group (HRG), alleging that certain television channels were rigging TRP numbers.

The HRG had been tasked with installing barometers for recording channel viewership data at sample households. Police had arrested dozens of people, including the top officials of BARC and Republic TV.

Most of them are currently out on bail. In March this year, the Bombay High Court had asked the Mumbai police why Republic TV and Goswami had not been named as accused in the case if the investigators believed to possess adequate evidence against them.

The ARG Outlier Media and Goswami had approached the high court last year, filing a bunch of petitions seeking several reliefs in the alleged TRP scam. They had alleged that the whole case was malafide and they had been targeted for Republic TV's reportage in connection with the death of actor Sushant Singh Rajput and the Palghar lynching case last year. 

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Ramesh Mishra
 - 
Friday, 25 Jun 2021

CRIMINAL CONSPIRACY, RAPE, MURDER, ATROCITIES, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, CONTRACT KILLING, INDIA
I am over 75 years old and I have studied, worked and travelled around the world for over fifty years. I frequently travel around the world and frequently visit my native village in UP. Indian leaders due to the lack of knowledge and the proper education, training, moral have made India a regime of terror. The politicians and the executives have made India a horrible place to live where no one and no one's property is safe, In UP the contract killers are available for the Rs. 5000.00. My younger brother, his family and my late fathers extended family by the gun violence possessed my properties, criminally conspired with four IAS and four PCS and contracted my murder to legalize the looting of my properties through a relative employed as Lekhpal in the Tehsil where my property is located. I prayed to Modi, PM, Yogi CM UP and Who's Who of India for my protection and for the protection of my properties, everyone ignored my prayers. Indian leaders lack leadership, courage, education and moral to make India a safe country. Hindu religion is used to hoodwink the people of India and people around the world. The world due to highway information technology has collected ample irrefutable evidence to declare India unsafe and the future of India is irreparably ruined by unethical leaders and elites. New India is similar to Germany from 1933 to 1945, under the late Adolf Hitler. The politicians and executives are abusing the legal process to persecute the political opposition parties, their enemies and whoever they dislike. The Honourable High Courts and the Supreme Court of India are the only ones with the wisdom to put India on the solid path.
Ramesh Mishra
Victoria, British Columbia, CANADA

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News Network
November 3,2024

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Bengaluru, Nov 3: In a heart-wrenching discovery, acclaimed Kannada film director Guruprasad, celebrated for his impactful films like Mata and Yeddelu Manjunatha, was found dead in a Bengaluru apartment on Sunday. 

The 52-year-old filmmaker, known for his work with deep social messages, is believed to have died two days prior in a suspected case of suicide, although authorities are still investigating to confirm the exact cause.

The decomposing body was discovered hanging from a ceiling fan in a flat in Madanayakanahalli after neighbors alerted the police due to a strong odor. Bengaluru Rural Superintendent of Police CK Baba confirmed the incident, stating that an investigation is underway. A team from the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) joined the police at the scene to gather evidence.

Guruprasad, a respected figure in Kannada cinema, directed thought-provoking films such as Yeradanesala and Director Special and had also appeared in small roles in more than ten films. The film industry mourns the loss of a director who used cinema as a platform for social awareness.

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News Network
November 4,2024

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Bengaluru: In a chilling case of moral policing gone violent, three men have been arrested for the brutal murder of a 21-year-old college student at a farmhouse near Bengaluru. The accused, identified as Chandru, Nagesh, and Murali from Honnapura, allegedly killed the student, Punith, following an altercation.

Punith, a BCom student at a private college, had gone to the Chikkenahalli Farmhouse on October 26 with seven classmates, including two women, for a casual outing. According to police reports, the group was enjoying their time when the accused, all locals, became aware of the gathering.

At around 10:30 pm, the three men stormed the farmhouse and began recording videos of Punith’s female classmates, who were in the swimming pool. They verbally abused the students, questioning their presence and demanding to know who had permitted them to use the farmhouse.

When Punith protested against their actions, the situation escalated violently. He was viciously attacked with a wooden log, sustaining severe head injuries. Punith was rushed to a nearby hospital but succumbed to his injuries three days later. Another student, Likith, was also assaulted but suffered only minor injuries.

The Ramanagara Rural police have registered a case of murder against the suspects, who are now in custody. Further investigations are ongoing.

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coastaldigest.com news network
November 5,2024

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Several videos have been circulating across social media platforms, claiming that football superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is shown reading the Quran in a mosque. Several posts have gone further to claim that Ronaldo and his wife have converted to Islam. The videos have attracted millions of views and sparked widespread speculation. 

Is Ronaldo Reciting the Quran?

One such video shows a man reading from the Quran, with captions like "Cristiano Ronaldo Reciting Quran." Several posts, especially on TikTok and Facebook, claim that Ronaldo has not only read the Quran but has also embraced Islam along with his wife, Georgina Rodríguez. One of these TikTok posts amassed 1.7 million likes and over 58,000 shares, adding to the viral momentum of this claim.

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Ronaldo Lookalike from Iraq

Contrary to these claims, the man in the video is not Cristiano Ronaldo. The individual is Bewar Abdullah, a well-known Ronaldo lookalike originally from Iraq, who now resides in Birmingham, U.K. Abdullah has gained fame for his striking resemblance to Ronaldo and regularly posts content online imitating the footballer.

The Reality

The viral video was initially posted by Bewar Abdullah on his TikTok account (@bewarabdullah) on July 20, 2021, with the caption "Eat Mubarek🕌 (sic)." Abdullah has a large following of 1.7 million people.

Abdullah is frequently mistaken for Ronaldo due to his resemblance, and his name appears at the end of the viral video, confirming his identity.

Abdullah’s online popularity stems from his likeness to Ronaldo, and he regularly receives invitations to events and appearances due to this.

Apart from the video, there are also widespread claims that Ronaldo and his wife have converted to Islam. However, there is no credible evidence to support this. These rumors appear to have emerged from the same viral content surrounding Ronaldo’s lookalike, without any basis in fact.

Why the Confusion?

The confusion arises from Abdullah’s close resemblance to Ronaldo and the viral nature of social media posts that often mislead viewers. The presence of Ronaldo-related hashtags and captions like "#Ronaldo #CristianoRonaldo #CR7 #SaudiArabia" further fueled the speculation, making it seem more believable to the football star's global fanbase.

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