Maharashtra govt blocks CBI from probing cases in state without seeking ‘consent’

This comes a day after the central probe agency registered an FIR in the TRP 'scam' case based on a reference from the Uttar Pradesh Police.

By: Express Web Desk

Mumbai, New Delhi | Updated: October 21, 2020 10:44 PM IST

2 min read

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General consent is given by states so that the CBI can seamlessly conduct its investigation and not seek the state government nod for every case -- unlike the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which has jurisdiction across the country.

The Maharashtra government Wednesday withdrew the “general consent” granted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), curtailing the agency’s powers to probe cases in the state. The agency will now have to approach the state government for permission to initiate the investigation on a case by case basis.

This comes a day after the central probe agency registered an FIR in the TRP ‘scam’ case based on a reference from the Uttar Pradesh Police. The case, which was earlier registered at Hazratganj police station in Lucknow on a complaint of an advertising company promoter, was handed over to the CBI by the UP government.

On October 8, the Mumbai police had claimed it had busted a “racket” of “fraudulent” manipulation of Television Rating Points (TRPs) involving three channels including Arnab Goswami’s Republic TV.

Six people have been arrested by the police in the ‘scam’, which allegedly involves inducing homes which form the sample set whose TV viewing is monitored to ensure that certain channels get higher ratings.

In the past, states like Rajasthan and West Bengal had withdrawn general consent to the CBI, which reports directly to the Union Home Ministry.

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