Kerala TRP case: BARC India engages external agency for forensic audit

BARC India has said that it will stay committed and accountable towards the stakeholders

by e4m Desk
Published: Nov 28, 2025 2:07 PM | 1 min read

In a development in the Kerala TRP case, BARC India has engaged an independent agency to address the allegation, involving Malayalam news channel Twenty-Four and an employee of the viewership rating agency, and undertake a “comprehensive forensic audit”.

In a statement, BARC has said: "BARC India is aware of the report put out by the Malayalam news channel "Twenty-Four" yesterday, claiming involvement of a BARC India employee in an alleged ratings manipulation case. In order to address the matter with urgency, transparency and due diligence, BARC India has immediately engaged a reputed independent agency to forthwith undertake a comprehensive forensic audit into the matter.

While the audit is underway, we would request all parties, including the media, to refrain from making any unverified or speculatory claims regarding the situation.

BARC India remains committed to the highest standards of integrity and accountability towards its stakeholders."

The alleged fraud involves a Kerala channel owner and a Mumbai-based BARC employee and is currently being treated as a very serious matter by the state police. Investigators are probing claims that large payments, allegedly routed through crypto wallets, were made to artificially elevate the channel’s ratings and thus its advertising revenue.

WhatsApp chats and call records point to advanced sharing of weekly viewership data, acknowledgements of payments and even emojis that appear to confirm transactions.