The Bombay HC is all set to hear the TRP Scam Case on December 14th i.e. Monday. The petitioners in the case i.e. Arnab Goswami and ARG Outliner Media Private Limited stated in their petition that- “investigation in the TRP Scam case is a witch hunt targeted at petitioners for its criticism of the Government.”
The petitioners have reached the HC seeking a stay of the further investigation by the Crime Intelligence Unit, DCB CID, and Crime Branch in the TRP Scam case. They have said in the plea that the investigation agency has hurriedly filed a charge-sheet without investigating the materials in particular and alleged that the intention of the Intelligence Unit while investigating the case is to harass the petitioner and his employees and also to intimidate them.
The petitioners also stated in the plea that the investigating agency is continuously carrying out the investigation even after filing the charge-sheet by issuing summons to their employees and carrying out interrogation despite filing the charge-sheet in the matter which means the closure of the investigation.
They also alleged that the Mumbai police did every possible thing to intimidate Ghanshyam Singh who is Assistant Vice- President (Distribution) of Republic TV to implicate himself and the petitioner in the Scam case. The petition states as- “Mr. Singh suffered immense pain and cried out loudly because of the force with which the police officer was lashing him; but the subordinate police officers following the instruction of the senior police officer kept lashing him on his hands, despite his cries of pain. All officers present were witness to Mr. Singh’s assault in custody and were bystanders to the crime, as directed to be committed by the senior police officer. It is clear that Mr. Singh was stripped of his every basic human dignity by the officers of Respondent No. 3. Mr. Singh was constantly pressured to implicate himself and the Petitioner No. 1 in the alleged TRP scam.”
IA said that the petitioner is being targeted selectively even after filing the charge-sheet. It said that Intelligence Unit has abused its power in this matter and such an investigation violates the right of the petitioner of the “Right to fair investigation” guaranteed under Articles 20 and 21 of the Constitution of India. IA also alleged that the respondents in the case are “acting in a pre-determined manner to falsely implicate the Petitioner in the alleged TRP Scam by influencing witnesses, extracting false statements against the Petitioners, conducting a fishing & roving inquiry by harassing the officials of Petitioner number 1, its investors, etc.”
The petitioners have prayed before the court to transfer the case to CBI as the case has nationwide effect.
