In a blatant attack on freedom of the press, the Enforcement Directorate arrested Bahubali Shah, the managing director and owner of Gujarat Samachar. Gujarat Samachar is Gujarat’s highest-read newspaper. It also has a 24-hour television channel, GSTV. Later on Friday afternoon, he was released on bail.
The Shah family confirmed the politically motivated arrest of 73-year-old Bahubali who has been admitted to Zydus hospital after his vital parameters fell. Bahubali Shah who has survived a brain stroke in the last few years is also a heart patient. The ED is yet to issue an official statement about his arrest, over 12 hours after he was picked up in a money laundering case. The 2006 case has been re-opened, ED sources said.
Before the ED struck Gujarat Samachar, the income tax department conducted raids at over 24 different places connected with the Gujarat Samachar. It must be noted that during the India-Pakistan tensions recently, Gujarat Samachar was the first newspaper of Gujarat to have its’ handles blocked on social media. The newspaper which is regarded as a very strong voice in the home State of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been unequivocally against the cease fire and has been demanding questions from the Narendra Modi government on what actually transpired between India and Pakistan.
According to the ED, Bahubali Shah has been arrested over alleged financial irregularities but a statement specifying the ground of arrest is yet to be issued by the central agency. The X account of Gujarat Samachar, founded in 1932, was suspended on May 9 without any explanation. The Shah family was in mourning when the raids took place. They were mourning the death of the family matriarch Smritiben who died about three weeks back.
Gujarat Samachar editor-in-chief and managing director Shreyans Shah blamed political vendetta for his younger brother’s arrest. The arrest was made at around 10 pm on Thursday night but till 2 pm on Friday, the ED had not issued any statement. The Income Tax and ED raids on Gujarat Samachar lasted over 36 hours. Gujarat Samachar chose not to report about the arrest in today’s newspapers or their channels as sources said they were in a mood to fight out the “anti-media government of Modi” but had decided to do so “patiently and strategically”.
Shreyans Shah said his brother has been unwell after suffering a severe heart attack. He accused authorities of pressuring Bahubali Shah to confess to “certain things”.
Shreyans Shah said the ED raids pertained to some transactions 20 years ago. “All these transactions were done through the bank. This is a civil matter, and we are ready to fight it in the courts. We do not have any criminal background. Why is my brother being treated like this?”
He said his brother, the director of Gujarat Samachar’s publisher, Lok Prakashan Ltd, and Gujarat Samachar Ltd, which operates GSTV, was being treated at a hospital.
On May 14, the Income Tax department conducted raids at multiple locations linked to Gujarat Samachar, including its headquarters. The residences of Bahubali Shah, Shreyans Shah, and the GSTV news channel office were also raided.
The ED conducted raids at 24 locations, including the residences of Shreyans Shah’s sons, Nirman and Amam Shah, and the newspaper’s online department office. The premises linked to the Shah family’s real estate ventures were also raided.
The opposition Congress linked the arrest to Gujarat Samachar’s bold anti-establishment stance. Gujarat Congress president and Rajya Sabha MP Shaktisinh Gohil was the first to post on X. He wrote that Gujarat Samachar was being punished for doing its job and indulging in journalism that was true. Gohil categorically said that Gujarat Samachar had refused to become a Godi media and its’ true reporting during the India-Pakistan tension ruffled the Modi government.
It must be noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi never fails reading the newspaper. X has shots of the paper during various foreign trips of PM Modi.
Courtsey: X
Gujarat Samachar adversaries claim that Bahubali Shah’s arrest has nothing to do with journalism. They claim that the arrest is because of money laundering done reportedly under the name of a private firm called Ajab Gajab Investments Private Limited.
House Promoters Green House then routes the money to buy stakes in group projects. This is below-market lending, potentially designed to move money off-books or mask internal funding. The company was a face to do illegal activities and route money of Gujarat Samachar which operates under the name of Lok Prakashan Private Limited.
Various Aam Aadmi Party leaders besides the Congress party, Congress Secretary K C Venugopal, spokesperson Pawan Khera and others criticised the ED and IT action calling them as a direct muzzling of the press and a threat to journalism.
“Late last [Thursday] night, the ED arrested Bahubali Bhai Shah of Gujarat Samachar. The 93-year-old newspaper has been a bold anti-establishment voice. This is the fate of those who have the guts to openly say that the emperor is naked,” wrote Congress leader Pawan Khera in an X post.
K C Venugopal and the official handle of Congress also condemned the arrest.
“Yes, the information is correct. Bahubali Bhai has been arrested in an old case. We don’t have much details as yet about the charges…we are being targeted,” said Shreyansh Shah, the newspaper’s managing editor and Bahubali Shah’s brother emphasised.
Founded in 1932, Gujarat Samachar is one of the largest circulated vernacular dailies in Gujarat and is jointly managed by the Shah brothers.
Who is Bahubali Shah?
Bahubali Shantilal Shah is a prominent Indian media entrepreneur and co-owner of Gujarat Samachar, one of the largest and most influential Gujarati-language daily newspapers. Established in 1932, Gujarat Samachar is headquartered in Ahmedabad and has a significant presence across Gujarat and in cities like Mumbai and New York. The newspaper is jointly managed by Bahubali Shah and his brother, Shreyansh Shah, who serves as the managing editor
In addition to his role at Gujarat Samachar, Bahubali Shah holds directorships in several companies, including Gujarat Samachar Ltd., Parijat Infrastructure Ltd., and Ajab Gajab Investment Pvt. Ltd. He maintains a substantial ownership stake in Lok Prakashan Ltd., the publishing company behind Gujarat Samachar, with a direct shareholding of 22.79%. Combined with his brother’s holdings, the Shah family controls a majority stake in the company.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Shreyans and Bahubali Shah at the time of their mother’s death. Then, Modi was the Chief Minister of Gujarat.
In his X post, Shaktisinh Gohil also wrote, “(this is) Punishment to stand up for Truth. (This) has been the motto of the BJP government. Because Gujarat Samachar refused to become a Godi media, Modi let his hounds loose. The IT and ED actions are a reflection of desperation by the Modi government.
“During the anti reservation stir in the 80’s, emergency, the office of Gujarat Samachar was burnt down but even then the newspaper didn’t stop reporting the truth,” Gujarat AAP president Isudan Gadhvi wrote on X. Gujarat Samachar was then heavily poised against the ruling Congress and had opposed the 49 per reservation announced by the Madhavsinh Solanki led government. Heavy riots that followed the announcement had seen miscreants, supposedly Congress supporters , burning the Gujarat Samachar building and press at Khanpur area in Ahmedabad. Gujarat Samachar has always had a strong anti establishment voice and is known as the perfect barometer of public pulse in Gujarat.
Congress general secretary, K. C. Venugopal, wrote on X, “The Gujarat Samachar is fearless in its critique of the Modi-led BJP regime. The ED arrest of owner Bahubali Shah is the BJP’s way of making independent media bend and toe the regime’s line”.
He further wrote that they stand with Gujarat Samachar and Bahubali Shah in the face of what he termed as authoritarian pressure. This, he alleged, is a blatant misuse of investigative agencies and completely against the spirit of the Constitution.
Aam Aadmi Party’s Gujarat president Isudan Gadhvi believes it’s an attempt to intimidate the newspaper.
Pawan Khera, chairman of the Congress’ media and publicity department, also took to X and said, “Late last night the ED arrested Bahubali Bhai Shah of Gujarat Samachar. The 93 year old newspaper has been a bold anti establishment voice. This is the fate of those who have the guts to openly say that The emperor is naked”. (sic.)
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