A particular piece of news doing the rounds in the morning today shook the world of business and journalism. According to the Indian Express, Ajay Singh, chairman and managing director for SpiceJet, is set to take control of NDTV. It has been reported that the channel is set to change hands while founders Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy, along with the promoter firm RRPR Holding Pvt Ltd, are facing a CBI probe for concealing a share transaction.
The IE article said that the founders will be reduced to minority shareholders with just 20 percent shares, while SpiceJet co-founder Ajay Singh will hold 40 percent shares.
A first generation entrepreneur – Ajay Singh
But by afternoon the news came under the scanner. “Not even a single sentence of these reports is true,” a senior NDTV official said.
It has been an eventful and hard time for NDTV. Recently, on June 5, the CBI had conducted raids at the house of the NDTV founders. Venkaiah Naidu, when he was the Information and Broadcasting Minister, had imposed a one-day ban on NDTV for their coverage of the Pathankot terror attack. The channel has often been criticized by “nationalists” for its stance.
So while the reports of NDTV are still uncertain, the Twitterati is happy as hell to acknowledge NDTV’s control going to SpiceJet, which is evident from this chain of euphoric tweets:
Spicejet’s Ajay Singh who gave slogan’abki bar modi sarkar’ & did magic to Spicejet set to take control over #NDTV.A plot twist !#ajaysingh pic.twitter.com/IvnUVyAS8n
— Geetika Swami (@SwamiGeetika) September 22, 2017
Ravish Kumar after #NDTV‘s acquisition:
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Ravish: Kaun Jaat Ho?
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Ans: SpiceJaat!Advertisement— Hoor-E-Sagarika (@72hoors) September 22, 2017
Celebrations after #NDTV got sold.. pic.twitter.com/2I2DmmSiop
— Chirag (@igot10on10) September 22, 2017
*Big Billion Day Sale*
Amit Shah added #NDTV to his cart.
— Republic Of India (@RepubIicofIndia) September 22, 2017
Prannoy Roy after the news of #NDTV being taken over by SpiceJet’s Ajay Singh, a Modi supporter. pic.twitter.com/Shm3Oryhqb
— Yogi (@UdtaLiberal) September 22, 2017
Lol! #NDTV sold to Ajay Singh. #Modi does it in style. Manwhile @ravishndtv‘s reaction be like pic.twitter.com/fhdsg9DmIr
— Harsha Vardhan Singh (@tweetsbyharsha) September 22, 2017
Hey Ajay speak those 3 magical words
Ajay Devgan : Bole zubaan Kesari
Ajay Singh : I Bought NDTV#NDTV— Superstar Rajini😎 (@RoflRajanikant) September 22, 2017
First look of New #NDTV 🚩 pic.twitter.com/0ChoUXB4tf
— Gujarati Jon Snow (@Gujju_Jon) September 22, 2017
#NDTV sold again!!!!
— Seema Choudhary (@Seems3r) September 22, 2017
Some NDTV loyalists had a different take:
With Ajay Singh taking control of #Ndtv it will also become Government run Propoganda TV like Zee news, times now, Republic TV 😂
— Aaron (@holyspirit786) September 22, 2017
Having coined BJP’s 2014 campaign slogan “Ab ki bar Modi Sarkaar,” Ajay Singh had actively taken part in the campaigning for BJP. He took over SpiceJet in January 2015.
