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Tag: Republic TV

  • Mumbai Police violated Supreme Court guidelines in Arnab Goswami’s arrest, says AIBA

    Mumbai Police violated Supreme Court guidelines in Arnab Goswami’s arrest, says AIBA

    NEW DELHI: The arrest of Republic TV’s editor in chief Arnab Goswami has evoked a response from multiple sections of the industry.

    Senior bureaucrats and news federations have condemned the arrest and called upon the chief minister of Maharashtra to conduct a free and fair investigation in the matter without exercising the authority of the government on media.

    In the latest development, All India Bar Association (AIBA) has condemned the arrest of noted journalist Arnab Goswami by Mumbai Police as it has violated the landmark guidelines to protect the rights of arrestee as enumerated in judgment delivered by Hon’ble Supreme Court in D. K. Basu v. State of West Bengal (AIR 1997 SC 610).  

    In a letter to the governor of Maharashtra, AIBA chairman Adish C Aggarwala, senior advocate, appealed for immediate release of the journalist as it is blatant misuse of power by Maharashtra Govt. against Republic TV and Arnab Goswami. The illegal arrest is an attack on individual freedom and the fourth pillar of democracy. 

    The following guidelines of
    honourable Supreme Court in the judgment passed in D. K. Basu v. state of
    West Bengal (AIR 1997 SC 610), have been violated by Mumbai Police in
    the matter of arrest of Arnab Goswami 

    Duties of Police Making
    Arrest and Handling Interrogation: All Police personnel should wear name tags clearly indicating their name and designation.

    Police must enter the complete details of police officials conducting interrogation in a register.

    Arrest Memo: The police officer making
    an arrest has to prepare an arrest memo that records details of the
    arrest. The arrest memo must contain:

    a. The signature of at least one witness, who can be a relative of the arrestee or a respectable person of the locality where the arrest is made. 

    b. The time, date, and place
    of the arrest. The arrested person should sign the arrest memo after it is
    properly prepared.  

    Inspection Memo: If the arrested person requests it, the arresting officer must record any minor/major injuries on his/her body in an inspection memo. The memorandum should be signed by the arrested person and the arresting officer. A copy of the Memo  must be given to the arrested person.

    Information About the Arrest & Detention: The arrested person has the right that his/her relative/friend is informed about the arrest. The police must contact and inform the relative/friend of the time and place of arrest, and the exact location where the arrested person is detained, at the earliest. If the relative / friend is in a different district / city, the concerned police station should be informed by telegraph within 8-12 hours of the arrest and then convey the  information to the relative / friend. The information of the arrest should also be sent through the district legal aid committee.

    Right to a Lawyer: The arrested person has the right to meet and consult a  lawyer during his/her interrogation. The police cannot deny this.  

    Illaqa Magistrate: The Police must send one copy of all documents, relating to the arrest (including the Arrest and Inspection Memos) to the Illaqa Magistrate for his/her records.

    Police Control Room: Police Control Rooms should be set up in all district and state headquarters. The arresting officer has the duty to inform the control room about the place of detention of the arrested person. This has to be done in all arrests.This information must be sent to the control room within 12 hours of the arrest. This information must be displayed clearly on the notice board of the Control Room. Duties of Police making arrest and handling interrogation: 

    These directions should be mandatorily followed. Refusal to do so results in the initiation of contempt of Court proceedings.

    Departmental action should be initiated against police officials who have violated above safeguards guaranteed to the citizens of the country. 

  • Editors Guild of India condemns Arnab Goswami’s arrest

    Editors Guild of India condemns Arnab Goswami’s arrest

    New Delhi: Editor Guild of India has expressed its unhappiness on the arrest of Republic TV editor in chief Arnab Goswami and condemned the entire incident. They have called upon the Maharashtra chief minister Uddhav Thackeray to ensure that Goswami is treated fairly and the state power is not used against the critical reporting by the media.

    Earlier in the day, Republic TV founder & editor in chief Arnab Goswami was picked up from his house by the Mumbai police. According to Republic TV, 10 policemen entered Goswami’s residence and pushed him around, before taking him away. According to the media firm, the police had no summons or arrest warrants at the time of his arrest.

    Another media firm reported that Arnab has been arrested in connection with an old abetment to suicide case of a 53-year-old interior designer. A Mumbai police official said that an architect and his mother committed suicide in 2018 over alleged non-payment of dues by Republic TV. Arnab, it says, has been arrested under Section 306 and Section 34 of IPC.

    Reports are that Arnab will be taken to Raigad for questioning.

    However, Republic TV has alleged that the cops “blocked Republic executive editor Niranjan Narayanswamy and senior associate editor Sanjay Pathak from entering his residence. Eight police vehicles and at least 40-50 Police personnel are in the building premises of Arnab, many armed. When Niranjan said that it is his right to report, he was thrown out of the building and the Mumbai police wanted his phone.”

    Republic TV has alleged that Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh is carrying out a vendetta campaign against the channel.

    I&B minister Prakash Javadekar has spoken out against the treatment being meted out to Arnab.

  • Mumbai police arrest Republic TV editor in chief Arnab Goswami

    Mumbai police arrest Republic TV editor in chief Arnab Goswami

    MUMBAI: Republic TV founder & editor in chief Arnab Goswami was picked up from his residence early this morning by the Mumbai police. According to Republic TV, 10 policemen entered Goswami’s residence and pushed him around, before taking him away.

    According to the media firm, the police had no summons or arrest warrants at the time of his arrest.

    Zee News reported that Arnab has been arrested in connection with an old abetment to suicide case of a 53-year-old interior designer. A Mumbai police official said that an architect and his mother committed suicide in 2018 over alleged non-payment of dues by Republic TV. Arnab, it says, has been arrested under Section 306 and Section 34 of IPC.

    Reports are that Arnab will be taken to Raigad for questioning.

    Republic TV has alleged that the cops “blocked Republic executive editor Niranjan Narayanswamy and senior associate editor Sanjay Pathak from entering his residence. Eught police vehicles and at least 40-50 Police personnel are in the building premises of Arnab, many armed. When Niranjan said that it is his right to report, he was thrown out of the building and the Mumbai police wanted his phone.”

    Republic TV has alleged that Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh is carried out a vendetta campaign against the channel.

    I&B  minister Prakash Javadekar has spoken out against the treatment being meted out to Arnab. 

  • No business dealings with Republic TV: Hansa Research

    No business dealings with Republic TV: Hansa Research

    NEW DELHI: In the latest development in the TRP manipulation scam, Hansa Research has denied the charges of making a payment of Rs 32 lakh to Republic TV, levelled against it by the Crime Branch spokesperson.

    The agency has categorically stated that there have been no business dealings with Republic TV and no payment has been made to the channel nor received from it.

    Hansa group CEO Shekar Swamy said, “Our group company Hansa Vision India Pvt Ltd is in the advertising business. It purchases advertising time and space in various TV channels, newspapers, radio, digital platforms and other media regularly for its clients. This is normal, routine business. The last time Hansa Vision has purchased advertising time in Republic TV was two years ago for the period from September 2017 to October 2018 for a value of Rs 108 lakh. The Mumbai police is perhaps incorrectly linking this with the current TRP related investigation.”

    In the past two years, as part of its business, Hansa Vision has purchased TV advertising time from 55 TV channels for a total value of Rs 13.42 crore on behalf of its clients. In 2019 and 2020, Hansa Vision has not bought any advertising time from Republic TV, it said in a press release.

    Swamy added, “The Hansa Research CEO and team have been repeatedly called by API Mr Sachin Vaze of the Crime Branch, and asked to stay till late hours. They are cooperating with the investigation and have submitted various documents as asked for. Hansa Research and the people working for this company, have nothing to do with the advertising activities of the group company Hansa Vision.”    

    The statement follows after several media outlets reported, citing sources, that the Mumbai police had found a payment of Rs 32 lakh to Republic TV made by Hansa Research. Earlier in the day, Republic TV dismissed the media reports as completely fake.

  • Editors Guild cautions Republic TV to not compromise on safety of journalists

    Editors Guild cautions Republic TV to not compromise on safety of journalists

    NEW DELHI: ARG Outlier Media owned Republic TV and its founder and editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami have been in the eye of a storm lately. Starting with the channel’s coverage of the Sushant Singh Rajput case to the recently unearthed TRP scam, Republic and its top honchos have been caught up in multiple accusations, FIRs, lawsuits and what not.

    Amid such a situation, the Editors Guild of India (EDI), a statutory body comprising of India’s leading current and former editors and journalists, has issued a statement expressing its concern at “the unedifying spectacle of hundreds of FIRs being filed against the journalists of Republic TV, which is under probe for allegedly manipulating the TRPs and spreading discontent against the Mumbai police.”

    EDI also urged the channel to behave responsibly and not compromise “the safety of its journalists”.  Stating that the body does not wish to influence the probe, it however called for an immediate end to the victimisation of journalists in the fraternity.

    The statement further referred to the case of late Sushant Singh Rajput and mentioned that the Right to Speech does not mean that one can spread ‘hate speech’.  Referring to the standoff between the Mumbai Police and TV channels, it said there is a need to maintain a balance between media freedom and the imperative to reside within the rule of law. “Republic TV’s high strung conduct during the unfortunate demise of the film actor also raises issues about media credibility and limits to reporting.”

    Read our coverage of the TRP scandal

    The guild went on to question the channels’ modus operandi of investigative journalism by bringing up the Bombay high court’s rejoinder – “Is this part of investigative journalism? Asking the public about their opinion on who should be arrested?”

    The body even went on to point to a channel (Republic TV in this case) to behave responsibly and not compromise on the safety of its journalists as well as hurt the credibility of the media.

    Mumbai police unearthed the TRP scam on 8 October and since then Republic TV and the law enforcement authorities have been at the loggerheads. They have repeatedly engaged in mud-slinging at each other and have even filed defamation suits against each other. The scam was uncovered earlier in October when the Broadcast Audience Research Council filed a complaint through Hansa Research Group, alleging that certain television channels were rigging TRP numbers.

     

     

    So far, the police has arrested several people in connection with the TRP scam including the owners of several channels – Box Cinema and Marathi channel Fakt Marathi.

  • Delhi high court rules Republic TV cannot use ‘News Hour’

    Delhi high court rules Republic TV cannot use ‘News Hour’

    New Delhi: The fight for who holds the rights to the words ‘News Hour’ and ‘nation wants to know’ between Benett Coleman & Co’s Times Now and ARG Media Outlier’s Republic TV has been on for a very long time. Earlier, BCCL had moved the high court seeking a permanent injunction against Arnab Goswami's ARG Media Outlier from using the abovementioned branding or any other derivatives or combinations of the same.

    On Friday, the case moved forward. The Delhi high court  granted interim relief to Times Now while restraining Republic TV from using the trademark ‘News Hour’ or any other mark that may be deceptively similar to it.

    The single-judge bench of justice Jayant Nath however did not grant any relief to Times Now regarding the use of the catchphrase ‘The nation wants to know’, informing the plaintiff that a detailed examination of the issue is required.

    Read more news on Republic TV

    The court found no merit in the defendant's argument against distinctiveness of the2014  registered trademark ‘News Hour"  which was prima facie in use since 2006. 

    As such, the defendant's use of prefix or suffix against the registered mark would also be viewed as being deceptively similar and the plaintiff would be entitled to relief in this regard. Observing the same, the court granted an interim injunction against the use of "News Hour" or anything deceptively similar to it. 

    The second trademark in dispute is not a registered mark and is a tagline that both parties stake claim to giving rise to the question of whether the defendant was indulging in passing off. While the plaintiff claimed proprietary right, the defendant said that the tagline was never associated with the plaintiff but always with Goswami. 

    The court, however, opined that this issue needs further examination of documents adduced by both sides and can be done when the parties lay their evidence. The court said, "The date of use of the tagline NWTK can only be decided appropriately after the parties have laid their evidence."  

    "In these facts and circumstances, prima facie it is not possible, at this stage without leading of evidence, to come to a conclusion that the defendants seek to mislead the consumers of the news channel or that the action of the defendants in using the said tagline would cause damage to the plaintiff as claimed," it added.

    The dispute between the Times Group and Republic Media dates  back to 2016 when Arnab Goswami (then anchor and editor) exited Times Now to set up his own venture ARG Outlier Media that owns Republic Network. Times Now started airing News Hour in 2006 and the show emerged as one of the flagship programs of the channel with Goswami leading it.

    The trademark, according to reports,  ‘News Hour’ was registered by the Times Group under Classes 16, 35 and 38 in 2014 and the mark itself has been in use since 2006. Therefore, the plaintiff claimed statutory right over this trademark.

     As for the phrase 'nation wants to know', Times Group claimed that the tagline was a product of the efforts of the editorial and marketing team' during the creative efforts undertaken for and on their behalf.

    The tagline was to be used during debates and discussions conducted during the primetime program News Hour, which was anchored by Arnab Goswami up until his acrimonious exit from Times Now.

    The plaintiff  has also alleged that Goswami took "undue advantage" of the popularity of the program he anchored at Times Now. Despite his employment agreement with Times Group vesting all rights to intellectual property exclusively with the plaintiff company, Goswami proceeded to use the disputed marks, the Times Group averred.

    Republic countered the claim saying that viewers of the two news channels are “informed and literate” and cannot confuse the programmes aired on the two channels especially since the animosity between the two is a matter of public knowledge.

    The defendant mentioned that the Times Group initiated the present proceedings "in the form of vendetta litigation" merely with the intention to "attempt to harass and arm twist."

    Republic has argued that the words ‘News Hour’ are generic, widely used and as such Times Group cannot claim a proprietary right on the same. In fact, it has even questioned the granting of trademark in favour of plaintiff terming the same as erroneous on the grounds that the term lacks distinctiveness and ought not have been granted as a trademark.

    After listening to both parties, the court granted partial relief, in the form of an interim injunction against the use of 'News Hour' while allowing Republic TV to keep using 'nation wants to know' pending further investigation of documents.

  • CBI takes over investigations from Lucknow Police in TRP manipulation

    CBI takes over investigations from Lucknow Police in TRP manipulation

    NEW DELHI: The latest development in the alleged TRP manipulation row is that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the inquiry into the alleged TRP manipulation case from the Lucknow police, according to officials quoted in a PTI report.

    A case had been registered in the Hazratganj police station of Lucknow after a complaint was filed by a person named Kamal Sharma, three days ago.

    The alleged TRP manipulation scam was first unearthed by the Mumbai police commissioner ParamBirSinghon 8 October. Since then, charges have been flying thick and fast between one of the accused Republic Media and the law keepers. Singh during his press conference had stated three channels including Republic were involved in the rigging. However, the Arnab Goswami led news broadcaster was vehement in its denial of its involvement, saying that the commissioner was indulging in a vendetta campaign. Goswami had also said he would fight the Mumbai police in the courts.

    It even moved the court seeking to quash the FIR lodged by the Mumbai police against it.During the ongoing arguments in court yesterday, advocate Kapil Sibal representing the Maharashtra government and the Mumbai police Police, stated that the FIR has no mention of Republic, hence there is no need to quash it. On the other hand, advocate Harish Salve representing Republic Media, assured that the petitioner will cooperate with the authorities whenever called to do so.

    So far, it seems as if Arnab and Republic are scoring points against the police in this specific case. Will the latter play a hidden card? We can only wait and watch. 

  • Republic Media provides proof of its innocence in TRP rigging charges

    Republic Media provides proof of its innocence in TRP rigging charges

    NEW DELHI: Republic Media Network has come out with a statement in which it is claiming a thumping victory against the “fake news propaganda being spread by the Mumbai police about it being found guilty of rigging viewership ratings.”

    Republic CEO Vikas Khanchandani has in his possession an official email from the viewership ratings agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) in which it has said “there is not a single complaint or malpractice found against Republic TV, Republic Bharat or any other affiliate of the news network.”

    The Arnab Goswami founded news network has been claiming from day one of the TRP rigging press conference organised by the Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh that the law keeper has been perpetrating vendetta against him.

    The Republic Media release states that the email “crumbles the pack of lies floated and repeated over the last nine days by Param Bir Singh and a section of the media.”

    The statement mentions that Republic Media received an email from BARC on 17 October 2020, in which the agency has stated that: “If there was any disciplinary action initiated under the said Code against M/s ARG Outlier Media Private Ltd., then BARC India would have communicated the same to you along with necessary documents for your response.”

    With this documentary evidence by BARC out in the public domain, Republic says that three things have been proven: 

    ·   The Mumbai police commissioner Param Bir Singh’s comments against Republic TV were “blatantly false, lies and an extension of political vendetta. It is now incumbent on him to apologise for his lie-ridden campaign against India’s Number 1 news network.”

    ·   That every word uttered across certain sections of the media is false, unsubstantiated and fake news. “Now that the truth is out in the public domain, the onus is now on those portals to correct themselves, apologise for the fake news and put out the truth.”

    ·   The Republic Media Network which runs on the highest professional and journalistic standards has been “vindicated after a nine day slander campaign curated by vested interests and we have been duly informed that there was never a case against us.”

    The news network has demanded that serious action needs to be taken against the police commissioner as well as the political masters behind him, should they be involved for going on a tirade against it based on a series of lies. It says that it is going to fight against any forces and come out unscathed, no matter how hard the Mumbai police or anyone else tries to intimidate and harass it. “We will comply with the law of the land, but not for a moment give in to the coercive attempts to shut down our pursuit for truth through our journalism. We will fight this campaign both in the courts of law and the court of public opinion, with the people of India by our side,” the statement further says.

  • Bollywood associations & producers file legal suits against Times Now & Republic TV

    Bollywood associations & producers file legal suits against Times Now & Republic TV

    NEW DELHI: The trouble surrounding the nation’s news broadcasting industry does not seem to be dying down. Last week, a few channels got embroiled in the TRP manipulation scandal, and now the Indian film fraternity appears to have joined forces against them.

    Four Bollywood industry associations and 34 leading film producers have filed a civil suit before the Delhi High Court against Republic TV’s Arnab Goswami and Pradeep Bhandari, and Times Now’s Rahul Shivshankar and Navika Kumar, on their coverage of the drugs probe being carried out by the Narcotics Control Bureau in connection with the Sushant Singh Rajput death case.

    The suit urges the court to restrain these channels – along with their editors and journalists – from making “irresponsible, derogatory and defamatory remarks” against Bollywood and the members of the film fraternity. 

    The producers have taken exception to several derogatory phrases used during the coverage such as ‘dirt,’ ‘filth,’ ‘scum,’ ‘druggies’ and expressions such as ‘it is Bollywood where the dirt needs to be cleaned,’ ‘all the perfumes of Arabia cannot take away the stench and the stink of this filth and scum of the underbelly of Bollywood,’ ‘This is the dirtiest industry in the country,’ and ‘cocaine and LSD drenched Bollywood’.

    The suit states, "The livelihood of persons associated with Bollywood is being severely impacted by the smear campaign being run by the Defendants. This is in addition to the ongoing pandemic which has resulted in extreme revenues and work opportunity loss. The privacy of the members of Bollywood is being invaded, and their reputations are being irreparably damaged by painting the entire Bollywood as criminals, seeped in drug culture, and making being part of Bollywood as synonymous with criminal acts in the public imagination."

    In their plea, the producers have asked Delhi High Court to pass directions ordering Times Now and Republic TV to withdraw, recall and take down all the defamatory content published by them against Bollywood. The suit also seeks that the channels and the four people mentioned abide by the provisions of the Programme Code under the Cable Television Networks Rules, 1994.

    While the producers don't call for blanket media gag in the Sushant Singh Rajput investigation, they want the court to stop reportage that violates the law. The suit further asks the channels not to conduct media trials of Bollywood personalities and to stop interfering with the privacy of those associated with Bollywood.

    Reacting to the lawsuit, Times Now news editor Rahul Shivshankar said in a tweet that filing cases against journalists "that have only sought justice for those who are wronged" would set a bad precedent.

     

     

    Navika Kumar also took to Twitter, saying: "All the A-listers can come together but India will continue to fight for the truth. You can’t intimidate us."

     

     

  • The TRP fudging saga continues

    The TRP fudging saga continues

    NEW DELHI: The Mumbai police’s investigation into the alleged TRP manipulation fracas gathered pace over the weekend. If one were to stand outside the central police headquarters in Mumbai, it would have looked like a roll call of media hotshots was being taken.  

    Amongst those to go in were Republic TV CEO Vikas Khanchandani who was interrogated for more than nine hours about the network’s involvement, something the founder Arnab Goswami has vehemently denied, stating that it was TV Today which was indulging in TRP rigging. India Today has denied any such wrongdoing.

    The police had sent summons to Republic Bharat COO Harsh Bhandari;  COO- international revenue & distribution Priya Mukherjee; senior distribution executive Ghanshyam Singh, the CEO of Hansa Research Group Praveen Nijhara and another employee.  Madison founder Sam Balsara, IPG Mediabrands CEO Shashi Sinha also spent a large part of the day being questioned by the Mumbai police.

    Republic TV CFO Shiva Subramaniyam Sundaram, who had also been ordered to appear before the cops, declined, stating that he would available for questioning only after 14-15 October. He also said that he had requested the law enforcers to halt the probe until the company’s writ petition against the police’s actions is heard by the Supreme Court.

    Read more news on TRP Scandal

    Even as this piece is being written, six teams from the Mumbai police crime branch were further investigating if the malpractice of TRP rigging was being resorted in six states. Republic TV issued a press release stating that the Mumbai police repeatedly tried to find out from its executives how the network managed to get their hands on the Hansa Research filed complaint. It said it would not reveal its sources, citing editorial privilege.

    The Mumbai police stepped in to investigate the alleged scam after BARC’s people meter management vendor Hansa Research complained to it that the viewership sample had been compromised. Mumbai police chief Param Bir Singh then held a press conference, alleging that executives of three channels – Box Cinema TV, Fakt Marathi and Republic TV – gave financial inducements to members of BARC’s viewership panel to watch their shows, thus inflating their viewerships.

    Senior professionals, from the first two, were arrested and are cooling their heels behind bars since the allegations were hurled on 9 October.

    Goswami has all along being insisting that Republic TV’s name was not even there in the Hansa complaint, it was TV Today which was mentioned several times, he said. He has  also alleged that the Mumbai police chief is attacking his network at the insistence of the Maharashtra government for continuing to investigate the Sushant Singh Rajput “murder” and several other acts of negligence by it and the city’s law enforcers.

    Over the weekend, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology chaired by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor also mentioned that it will be taking up the issue. It has asked representatives of the News Broadcasters Association, Press Council of India and Prasar Bharati to depose on the subject of 'ethical standards in media coverage.’

    Earlier during the week, Mumbai Police had arrested four people including Bompalli Rao Mistry, the alleged mastermind behind the scandal. Mistry will remain in the police custody until 13 October.