TRP Scam Case: Bombay High Court adjourns matter to 12th Feb, maintains “no coercive action”

Umamageswari Maruthappan

The matter concerning the TRP scam has been further adjourned to 12^th February 2021 with the Maharashtra Government reiterating its assurance of not taking any coercive action against Arnab Goswami and other employees of AGR Outlier Media Private Limited.

The Mumbai Police was directed to file a reply during the last hearing dated 15^th January 2021 in response to the amendment of the plea which included the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as a party. Accordingly, the city Police had submitted its reply on 25^th January 2021.

The Bombay High Court Bench comprising Justices SS Shinde and Minish Pitale adjourned the matter after a request from the petitioners to file their rejoinder to Mumbai Police’s reply.

During the hearing, the Bench further expressed its distress over the submission of documents consisting of around 8000 pages and questioned about the delay in filing the applications. To this, Advocate Niranjan Mundargi, Counsel for AGR Media Pvt. Ltd. stated that Mumbai Police’s delay in responding was the cause.

The petitioners sought some extension for filing the rejoinder and Adv. Mundargi requested to postpone the hearing to 26^th February 2021. However, Senior Adv. Kapil Sibal preferred 12^th February 2021.

After hearing some arguments between the two counsels, the Bench decided to postpone the matter to February 12. Until then, the Court directed ‘no coercive action’ against the accused to which the state government agreed.

The case deals with the TRP scams which came into light following a complaint by Hansa Research Group. Accordingly, the Mumbai Police had registered an FIR in October 2020.

AGR Media Ltd., the parent company of Republic channels, moved the High Court seeking restrictions on the Mumbai Police from taking coercive action against its employees. It also filed petitions requesting to transfer the matter to CBI.

Meanwhile, the complainant, Hansa Research Group had filed a petition before the Bombay HC seeking transfer of the case to CBI. The hearing of the same has been adjourned to 26^th February 2021.