It is second time in its history of 92 years that a disaster has gripped Gujarat Samachar. In 1985, the newspaper’s office and press were burned as an anti-reservation stir caused communal violence. 40 years on, it faces another disaster with the arrest of Bahubali Shah in money laundering case.
Gujarat Samachar owner detained
Bahubali Shah, 73, was arrested on Friday morning following raids at multiple locations related to him. However, the ED has not found out the reasons for his arrest. The arrest of the proprietor of this newspaper, a staple in most Gujarati families and also in parts of Maharashtra, generated chatter on social media and also echoed in the political corridors.
That Bahubali Shah’s arrest drew condemnation from the Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, and former Delhi Chief Minister, Arvind Kejriwal, speaks volumes about his popularity and the legacy of the newspaper.
92 year legacy of newspaper in trouble
Gujarat Samachar, which was founded 92 years ago in 1932, is administered by Lok Prakashan Ltd. Lok Prakashan was founded by Independence luminaries like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and Morarjee Desai. The first edition of the newspaper was published on January 16, 1932. Around 20 years later, it was acquired by Shantilal Shah after the newspaper started making huge losses.
Currently, Bahubali Shah is administrators of Lok Prakashan and owner of Gujarat Samachar. His elder brother, Shreyansh Shah, 85, is the handling editor of the newspaper.
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