WhatsApp chats political, nothing to do with criminal breach of trust, cheating: Dasgupta to Bombay HC

Former BARC CEO Partho Dasgupta’s lawyers told the Bombay High Court on Monday that the WhatsApp chats between him and Republic TV editor-in-chief Arnab Goswami — annexed to the chargesheet filed by the Mumbai Police in the TRP scam case — were “political” but had nothing to do with offences like criminal breach of trust and cheating for which he had been arrested.

The HC was hearing a bail application filed on behalf of Dasgupta, who is lodged in Taloja Central Jail in Navi Mumbai.

Lawyer Shardul Singh, representing Dasgupta, told the court that he is the only accused in the case who continues to be in prison, while others have been granted bail or relief from arrest. He added that the “mastermind” of the case as per the Mumbai Police is Goswami.