On December 7, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a petition filed by ARG Outlier Media and Republic Television Editor-in-Chief Arnab Goswami searching for protection for all personnel of the organisation from coercive action by the Maharashtra Police in circumstances filed against them. In that plea, as well, the media group alleged continuous hounding of its personnel by the state police and asked to quash all initial facts reports lodged against them, or transfer them to the CBI.
The fake TRP scam came to light in October when rating agency Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC) filed a complaint by way of Hansa Research Group, alleging that specific tv channels have been rigging TRP numbers.
Hansa had been tasked with installing barometers, which record viewership information (which channel has been watched and for how lengthy) at sample households. Apart from Republic Television, Box Cinema and Marathi channel Fakt Marathi have been the other individuals named throughout the preliminary investigation. Republic Television and other accused have denied wrongdoing and manipulation of the TRP method.