ED detains Gujarat Samachar owner Bahubali Shah; 'fatal for democracy' says Congress

In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the government is putting pressure on independent media which is fatal for democracy.

The Enforcement Directorate on Friday detained Bahubali Shah, one of the owners of the leading Gujarati newspaper ‘Gujarat Samachar’, following a raid on their premises here, sources said.

Bahubali Shah is one of the directors of Lok Prakashan Limited, which owns the Gujarat Samachar. His elder brother, Shreyansh Shah, is the managing editor of the daily.

Tushar Dave, head of digital services at GSTV, a Gujarati news channel run by Shreyansh Shah, said the ED detained Bahubali Shah in the early hours of Friday.

In a Facebook post, Dave said Shah was first taken to VS Hospital by the ED and then admitted to Zydus Hospital in the city after his health condition deteriorated.

The federal anti-money laundering agency has not yet issued any statement about the reasons behind its action.

A Gujarat Samachar employee said the ED detained Shah early on Friday, and he is in the hospital.

The Income Tax department searched the GSTV premises in Ahmedabad for nearly 36 hours. The ED raided the premises on Thursday evening, soon after I-T officials left, Dave said in another Facebook post.

The Congress flayed the agency's action against Gujarat Samachar founder, saying anyone raising their voice against the government or not compromising with the BJP will have to go to jail.

Gujarat MLA and Congress state working president Jignesh Mevani slammed the ED, saying Gujarat Samachar and its owners are being targeted because, for the last 25 years, the newspaper has been publishing reports critical of the central government.

In a post on X, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge alleged that the government is putting pressure on independent media which is fatal for democracy.

Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent interview in which he had said, 'Criticism is the soul of Democracy', Kharge said by getting the founder of Gujarat Samachar arrested by ED, "Modi ji has proved that arresting critics is the first sign of a scared dictator".

"Whoever raises voice against this government, and who does not compromise with BJP, will have to go to jail. The government putting pressure on independent media and using it to its own advantage is fatal for democracy," Kharge charged.

Congress' head of media department Pawan Khera 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."