Guj daily publisher arrested by ED, gets bail on health grounds

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Thursday arrested Bahubali Shantilal Shah, managing director of Lok Prakashan Limited, the publisher of ‘Gujarat Samachar’, one of the most widely circulated dailies in Gujarat. A court in Ahmedabad on Friday granted him bail on health grounds a day after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate.

An Enforcement Complaint Information Report (ECIR) was filed against Shah, who was taken into custody in Ahmedabad, in 2023. The ECIR is linked to an earlier probe initiated by the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) in 2016. The investigation focused on alleged misuse of funds tied to initial public offerings by certain companies.

Ahead of Shah’s arrest, ED officials also carried out search operations at locations associated with Lok Prakashan. The crackdown comes just a day after the Income Tax (I-T) Department launched expansive raids across more than 50 premises tied to the media company and its affiliates in Mumbai, Vadodara and Ahmedabad.

Despite the timing, sources familiar with the matter emphasised that the ED and I-T actions were separate.

Following his arrest, Shah was taken for a routine medical examination at a government facility. However, citing pre-existing health concerns, he requested a transfer to a private hospital. According to ED sources, he is expected to imminently file for bail on medical grounds.

Earlier this month, Gujarat Samachar’s official account on X was withheld, though no official reason has been disclosed.

Meanwhile, the Congress came down heavily on the BJP-led government, saying that the “politics of fear” had now become the identity of the Modi government.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said, “Modi recently said in an interview that criticism was the soul of democracy. Gujarat Samachar is a 93-year-old organisation.”

“Modi has proved that arresting critics is the first sign of a scared dictator! Anyone who raises a voice against this government or does not compromise with the BJP will have to go to jail,” he added.

He alleged that the government was putting pressure on independent media and using it in its favour, which was fatal for democracy.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi alleged that the attempt to “silence” Gujarat Samachar was another conspiracy to suppress the voice of not just one newspaper, but the entire democracy.