[TRP Scam] "Do not harass them, they are complainants, not accused": Bombay HC notice in plea by Hansa Research alleging Police harassment

"Please do not harass them by calling them every day", the Bombay High Court told the Mumbai Police Crime Branch today on a plea moved by the Hansa Research Group citing harassment faced by its employees allegedly on account of their reluctance to give false statements against Republic TV in the ongoing TRP Scam case. .The Bench of Justices SS Shinde and MS Karnik have issued notice in the matter and granted the respondents liberty to file their reply. The Court has also recorded a statement made on behalf of the Police that Hansa's employees will only be called in twice a week till the next date of hearing. .Appearing for Hansa Research, Senior Advocate CS Vaidyanathan submitted that it does not make sense to call the employees everyday for interrogation. Hansa is ready to provide any document required by the Crime Branch, he added..TRP scam: Hansa Research moves Bombay HC, claims harassment by Crime Branch to make false statements against Republic TV.Appearing for the Mumbai Police Commissioner, Senior Advocate Devdutt Kamat rebutted that the petition is unfair. Kamat added that the Court may peruse the petition and the investigation papers already submitted. There is evidence against Hansa Research, he remarked. .The Court, responded that it would examine the submissions made in the matter. However, it added, ."... in the interregnum, you can not call them (Hansa Research) everyday. They are complainants not the accused."Bombay High Court."Milords we are not harassing them, we will strictly investigate", Kamat said. .The Court clarified,"We are saying, please do not harass them by calling them everyday. Please take instructions on when do you want him to appear. Like twice a day or thrice a week."."Hansa should not dictate the timings", Kamat argued. .The Court, however, responded,"Yes but that does not mean you keep them from morning to evening. Keep some fixed timing till the next date of hearing.".The Bench proceeded to say, "Either take instructions, or we will have to pass appropriate orders." .After obtaining instructions, Kamat submitted that Hansa's employees would only be called in twice a week till the next hearing. .While Vaidyanathan urged the Court to add that there should be no coercive action against Hansa Research, the Bench assured that this is unlikely since they are the complainants..Hansa has alleged that the Police have been adopting pressure tactics to coerce Hansa's employees to issue a statement that a document flashed as Hansa Report by Republic TV is a fake one. The report had been cited by Republic TV to claim that they are innocent in the TRP scam..It is the petitioners' case that without comparing a physical copy of the document flashed by Republic TV to the original Hansa report, they cannot make any statement as sought by the Police..The petition names Assistant Police Inspector Sachin Vaze, Commissioner of Police Parambir Singh and ACP Shashank Sanbhlor as respondents. It has been alleged that Hansa Research employees have been repeatedly called to the Crime Branch office and made to wait for hours on end from October 12 onwards..The FIR in the TRP scam had named Vishal Vedprakash Bhandari, an ex-employee of Hansa against whom Hansa had filed the FIR. Bhandari had confessed to influencing certain homes to watch certain TV channels in order to boost their TRP.. In their plea before the Bombay High Court, Hansa Research has submitted:"This is a unique situation where the First informant in a the crime is being harassed by the investigating agency and treated like accused only for a false statement which is enacted from them.".Apart from a plea to restrain the Crime Branch officers from harassing Hansa research employees, the petition has also urged the Court to transfer the probe in the TRP scam case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).