Gujarat Samachar owner says brother ‘arrested’ by ED

The family of Bahubali Shah, a director of the firm that runs Gujarat Samachar, one of the oldest newspapers in Gujarat, has said he has been detained by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).Shah's elder brother, owner and Managing Editor of Gujarat Samachar Shreyansbhai Shah told The Indian Express Friday that ED officials came with an arrest warrant for Bahubali on Thursday evening, after two days of continuous searches by the Income Tax Department.

- GNS News Agency, May 21

The ED did not respond to queries. Sources in I-T told The Indian Express: “Originally search warrants were issued for 24 premises, then subsequently increased. The company was being tracked simultaneously by both the ED and I-T Department for tax evasion.”Bahubali is a director at Lok Prakashan Limited, which runs Gujarat Samachar as well as GSTV. The 73-year-old complained of uneasiness after his alleged detention and is admitted in hospital.“Income Tax officials came to my house early morning on Wednesday, and went to all the premises of Bahubali, my sons Nirmam and Amam, and everyone else associated with us... Nobody is telling us anything. Yesterday (Thursday) at 6 pm they came with an arrest warrant for Bahubali, without any notice,” Shreyansbhai said. He added: “We don't know why they are treating us like someone from the underworld... as if I am a criminal.”Shreyansbhai suggested that the action may be about a case dating back 30 years. “| do not know after all these years what happened all of a sudden... Ifthe ED says | gave some money 30 years ago... what is the evidence they have? Justice delayed is justice denied.” Punishment to stand up for Truth has been the motto of the BJP governmenLeading Gujarati newspaper Gujarat Samchar has always stood up against power, who so ever it be. However, sh