DUJ and KUWJ Condemn Gujarat Police Raids on Journalist Ravi Nair
The Delhi Union of Journalists (DUJ) and the Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) Delhi Unit have strongly condemned the recent Gujarat police raids conducted on the residences of investigative journalist Ravi Nair.
The raids, which took place on August 17, 2026, targeted Nair’s homes in both Delhi and Kerala.
Seizure of Devices and Tampering Concerns
According to the joint statement released on August 19, the Gujarat police seized two mobile phones and pendrives from Nair’s Kerala residence. During the raid in Delhi, officials confiscated a laptop belonging to Nair’s son, as well as a laptop and an iPad belonging to a colleague. The journalists’ unions highlighted that neither the son nor the colleague are accused in the case. Furthermore, the police failed to provide hash values for the seized electronics, a procedural lapse that the unions warn raises serious concerns regarding the potential tampering of the devices.
The Adani-LIC Connection
The police action stems from an FIR related to a report published in the Washington Post, which Nair co-authored. The investigative report detailed allegations that the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) was pressured into investing in Adani group companies.
The DUJ and KUWJ noted that Nair has been uniquely targeted in this case, reportedly for tweeting the story he authored. The unions pointed out that neither the Washington Post nor Nair’s co-authors have faced prosecution. The press release stated that this selective action is a “clear indication that Adani and the Union Government are fearing a backlash when further truths about using LIC to save a crony company comes out in public.”
Demands for Press Freedom
The journalists’ bodies have demanded the immediate return of the electronics seized from Nair’s son and his colleague. Expressing deep regret over the escalating trend of harassing investigative reporters, the unions categorized the raids as a “direct assault on media freedom and press independence.”
The joint press release was officially signed by DUJ leadership, including President Sujata Madhok, Vice President S.K. Pande, and General Secretary A.M. Jigeesh, alongside KUWJ Delhi President Prasoon S. Kandath and Secretary Dr. D. Dhanasumod.
Raids on an investigative journalist’s homes and the seizure of electronic devices belonging even to his family and colleagues raise deeply troubling questions about press freedom and state power. When journalism that questions powerful interests is met with police pressure, democracy itself is put on trial. Ravi Nair’s case must not become another warning that speaking truth to power comes with a price. Protecting independent journalism means protecting democracy.