Overview

• Bahubali Shah, co-owner of Gujarat Samachar, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on May 15 for alleged financial fraud in a 25-year-old case.
• Shah, 73, who is in poor health, was granted interim bail on May 16 by an Ahmedabad court until May 31 on humanitarian grounds.
• Congress leaders claim the arrest is political retaliation for Gujarat Samachar’s critical coverage of the BJP and its questions about the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people.
• The opposition accuses the government of prioritizing press suppression over addressing national security lapses, as the perpetrators of the Pahalgam attack remain at large.
• Congress has framed the government’s actions as part of a ‘Modani model,’ alleging misuse of central agencies like the ED and CBI to stifle dissent and favor corporate allies.