The Mumbai Police’s Crime Intelligence Unit on Tuesday filed a chargesheet in a magistrate’s court in the alleged Television Rating Points scam, reported PTI.

The crime branch has so far arrested 12 persons, including news channel Republic TV’s distribution head and owners of two other channels in connection with the case, the news agency reported, quoting an unidentified police official.

The scam came to light last month when ratings agency Broadcast Audience Research Council filed a complaint through Hansa Research Group, alleging that certain television channels were rigging Television Rating Points numbers. Hansa had been tasked with installing barometers, which record viewership data.

Apart from Republic TV, Box Cinema and Marathi channel Fakt Marathi were the other two channels who were named during preliminary investigation. Later, News Nation and Mahamovie channels were also formally named in the case. The channels were accused of rigging their TRPs by bribing some households to watch it. Last month, the crime branch informed the Metropolitan Magistrate Court that owners and other officials of the Republic Media Network, News Nation and Mahamovie have been named as accused in the case. The names of these persons who are wanted in the case were not disclosed.

Earlier, Republic TV’s Chief Executive Officer, two Chief Operating Officers and Chief Finance Officer were summoned by the police for questioning, according to PTI. Statements of the news channel’s executive editor Niranjan Narayanswamy and senior executive editor Abhishek Kapoor were also recorded by the police.

All the channels have denied wrongdoing and manipulation of the ratings system.

Meanwhile, the Enforcement Directorate last week filed a money laundering complaint in relation to the alleged scam. The investigation agency will probe if fake ratings were generated and if the money earned through this was used to generate illegal funds and create illegitimate assets.

The Enforcement Directorate is expected to summon officials of the news channels and two former employees of Hansa research agency arrested by the Mumbai police for questioning and recording of their statements.