&w=3840&q=100)
Day after arrest, Gujarat Samachar owner gets bail on health grounds
A sessions court in Ahmedabad on Friday granted 15-day interim bail to Bahubali Shah, one of the owners of leading Gujarati newspaper 'Gujarat Samachar', on health grounds.
The Enforcement Directorate had arrested Shah a day before following raids at the newspaper's premises.
Principal District and Sessions Judge K M Sojitra ordered Shah's release on bail till May 31 on furnishing surety and personal bond of Rs 10,000. The investigating official must be apprised of his health status every alternate day and Shah must cooperate with the agency, the court said.
Shah had approached the court seeking bail on the grounds of "serious medical/health condition". Media bodies expressed concern over the arrest of Gujarat Samachar owner Bahubali Shah by the Enforcement Directorate.
The Press Club of India, Indian Women's Press Corps, Press Association, Delhi Union of Journalists, Kerala Union of Working Journalists, and Working News Cameramen's Association said the ED action "reflects a troubling assault on press freedom and democratic values that uphold the right to free expression in India."
They said the arrest of Shah raises questions about the misuse of state machinery to muzzle media houses and suppress dissenting voices.
"We also call for the immediate release of the owner unless credible evidence is presented in a transparent manner," the media bodies said in a joint statement.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
United News of India
30 minutes ago
- United News of India
PM Modi announces additional aid for families hit by cross-border shelling
Katra (J&K), June 6 (UNI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday announced additional financial assistance of Rs 2 lakh each for families whose houses were severely damaged due to cross-border shelling from Pakistan. Addressing a public gathering here, the Prime Minister stated that households suffering severe damage due to cross-border firing will now receive Rs 2 lakh, while those with partially damaged homes will be granted Rs 1 lakh. This assistance is in addition to the support already provided earlier by the government, an official statement said. He emphasised the government's commitment to the well-being of those affected, noting that families who lost loved ones in the shelling have already received appointment letters for government aid. Recognising the hardship faced by over 2,000 families impacted by the shelling, PM Modi reaffirmed the government's solidarity with the victims, saying, 'Their pain is the nation's pain.' Stating that the government recognises border residents as the nation's frontline protectors, Modi said, 'Over the past decade, unprecedented efforts have been made to strengthen development and security in border districts'. Highlighting key initiatives, Modi said that approximately 10,000 new bunkers have been constructed, which played a critical role in safeguarding lives during the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. He also announced the formation of two new border battalions for the Jammu and Kashmir division, further enhancing security operations in the region. Additionally, he said two dedicated women battalions have also been successfully established, reinforcing defence capabilities and empowering women in the armed forces. Emphasising the significant infrastructure development taking place in India's international border regions, particularly in challenging terrains, the Prime Minister announced that hundreds of crores are being invested to improve connectivity and security. 'The Kathua-Jammu Highway is being upgraded into a six-lane expressway, while the Akhnoor-Poonch Highway is undergoing widening to facilitate smoother travel. Under the Vibrant Village Programme, development initiatives in border villages have been accelerated, ensuring better living conditions and opportunities for residents,' the Prime Minister said. He mentioned that 400 villages in Jammu and Kashmir, previously lacking all-weather connectivity, are now being linked with 1,800 km of newly constructed roads. He announced allocation of over Rs 4,200 crore for these infrastructure projects, reinforcing economic growth and regional development in border areas. Earlier, the Prime Minister laid the foundation stone, inaugurated and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth over Rs 46,000 crore at Katra. UNI VBH RBE PRS
Time of India
34 minutes ago
- Time of India
Man gets death threat in Khagaria
Khagaria: One Diwakar Yadav, a native of Shishwa village under Gogri police station in Khagaria district has lodged an FIR against one Pandav Yadav, a co-villager, accusing him of demanding an extortion of Rs 5 lakh and threatening to kill him if he fails to pay the amount. SHO Ajit Kumar said the matter was being investigated.
New Indian Express
35 minutes ago
- New Indian Express
Day after Naxal leader Sudhakar's death, encounter breaks out in same area in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur
BIJAPUR: A day after top Naxal leader Sudhakar was eliminated by security forces in Indravati National Park area in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, an encounter broke out in the same area on Friday, an official said. The encounter is part of the same anti-Naxal operation underway since Wednesday by personnel from the state police's Special Task Force (STF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) as well as the CRPF's specialised unit CoBRA, he added. Intermittent firing between security forces and the Maoist ultras is underway, the official said, adding further details were awaited. Senior Maoist leader Narasimha Chalam alias Sudhakar, who had a bounty of Rs 40 lakh on his head, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur district on Thursday. Originally hailing from Andhra Pradesh, the 67-year-old Sudhakar was involved in indoctrination and radicalization of youth and also responsible for numerous Naxal attacks in Chhattisgarh, resulting in the death of civilians and security personnel, police said. The killing of Sudhakar, a member of the Maoists' Central Committee, comes a fortnight after CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju (70) was neutralised by security forces in the Bastar region. Basavaraju was gunned down in Narayanpur on May 21.
