HYDERABAD: Police booked seven persons for allegedly manipulating Television Rating Points (TRP) of two Telugu news channels in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in the city.
A charge sheet was filed before a court on Monday.
After the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC)’s vigilance wing took severe actions against persons involved in the manipulation of TV ratings in Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh and Assam, the BARC officials have lodged a complaint with the Marredpally police in connection with said TV ratings tampering case.
Based on the complaint, police have registered cases under Sections 406 (criminal breach of trust) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC, read with 34.
They had detained the seven persons for their alleged role few months ago. However, this is the first time that a charge sheet has been filed against the same.
During the investigation, police took serious note of the influencing viewers in BARC households, where metres have been installed to report TRP. Their actions have caused losses to the television industry, said police.
The seven accused were interrogated in their role in TRP manipulation case before police filed the chargesheet before the court on Monday.