Mumbai Police incorrectly linking “media buying” transactions with TRP scam, says Hansa Group CEO Shekar Swamy

Hansa Research has said that it has had no business dealings with Republic TV and no payment has been made to the Channel nor received from the channel.

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The Tuesday edition of The Times of India, quoting the sources, had named Hansa Research for making a payment of Rs 32 lakhs to Republic TV.

Clarifying further, Shekar Swamy, Group CEO Hansa, 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 Sept 2017 to Oct 2018 for a value of Rs 108 lakhs. The Mumbai Police is perhaps incorrectly linking this with the current TRP related investigation.”

Later, the Mumbai Police said in a press release that the money trail was found between a Hansa group company and ARG Outlier Media Private Ltd, the company operating Republic TV.

“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,” Hansa said in its press statement.

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.”

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