MUMBAI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has summoned India Today group’s CFO to record a statement in connection with the alleged Television Rating Points (TRP) manipulation racket, a senior official of the agency said on Friday.
The agency has registered an ECIR (Enforcement Case Information Report) on the basis of the FIR filed by the Mumbai police in the alleged scam to probe suspected money laundering.
An ECIR is the equivalent of a police First Information Report (FIR).
While the police probe is underway, the central agency has summoned India Today group’s Chief Finance Officer to record his statement, said the ED official, without disclosing when he is supposed to appear.
The CFO has been asked to appear before ED officials in Mumbai.
The Mumbai police had claimed last October that three TV channels—Republic TV, Box Cinema and Fakt Marathi—were involved in rigging of TRP to boost advertisement revenue.
TRP was rigged by bribing some of the sample households, from where viewership data is collected, to tune into particular channels, the police FIR said.
The police arrested 15 persons, including former CEO, COO and employees of rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council and CEO of Republic Media Network. Most accused are now out on bail.