NEW DELHI: Rejecting the bail plea of former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta, the city civil & sessions court has said that he prima-facie appears to be the “mastermind” of the entire TRP scam. The session court also observed that Dasgupta might tamper with the evidence in the leaked WhatsApp messages with Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami, if he is granted bail. 

The court held that the case appears to be more than just TRP manipulation while referring to Dasgupta's Whatsapp chat transcript. Justice MA Bhosale remarked, "It appears from the papers put forth before me it is not the case of simple manipulation of TRP but more than that, however, before forming any opinion regarding WhatsApp chats I am of the opinion that a thorough investigation is required."

He went on to observe that the conversations on WhatsApp between Dasgupta and Goswami indicated “a conspiracy for manipulation of TRPs of Republic TV channels” and Dasgupta used his clout as BARC CEO to "manipulate the television rating.”

Dasgupta was arrested on 24 December 2020 in the alleged TRP rigging case. He is currently lodged in Taloja prison. The BARC ex-chief approached the high court soon after his bail application was denied on 16 January.