NEW DELHI: Three TV channels, including Republic TV, are being investigated on charges of misuse of TRP or Television Rating Points, reporters told the Mumbai Police on Thursday. Param Bir Singh, Mumbai police commissioner, said Republic TV, led by Arnab Goswami, and two other TV channels, Fakt Marathi and Box Cinema, are under investigation for ratings manipulation. TRP is a tool to judges which TV programmes are watched the most and also demonstrates the preference and success of a specific channel for viewers. Giving specifics of the racket, Singh said that in trying to exploit the TRPs, an organisation called 'Hansa' supported these networks. Singh said, "About 2,000 barometers mounted in Mumbai have been used to manipulate TRPs."

"On behalf of these networks, some individuals would visit households and give them money every month. People were asked to operate these networks continuously," said the senior police official. Each household will receive Rs 400-500 per month as part of the racket, according to the Mumbai Police. The police said," Various households have admitted they were being charged."  The Mumbai Police Detection Crime Unit, which exposed the TRP scam, has arrested two Marathi channel owners for manipulating viewership ratings, Singh said. He added that the promoters and directors of Republic TV will be summoned shortly.