NEW DELHI: India Today group CFO Dinesh Bhatia has been summoned by the enforcement directorate (ED) for questioning in connection with the alleged TRP scam. Media reports state that he is expected to appear before the investigative agency on Monday. 

India Today’s name had reportedly appeared in the initial FIR filed by Hansa Research in the case, which was brought to light by the Mumbai police in October last year. However, Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh had later stated that no evidence came up against the channel in further investigation. 

Mumbai police has thus far arrested 15 people in connection with the case, including the owners of the Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema channels, the distribution head of Republic TV and several former relationship managers of Hansa Research Group, hired by the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC). Former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta is currently in police custody for his alleged involvement in the rigging of ratings, his bail plea having been denied by the court.

The ED had earlier registered an enforcement case information report (ECIR), the equivalent of FIRs filed by the police, investigating money laundering allegations in the case.