By Maeeshat Correspondent,

New Delhi, Sep 22: NDTV, considered to be only or one of very few TV channels which boldly raise public issues and strongly criticize whoever comes in the way while doing so – government or Opposition – is reportedly being sold to a businessman who is very close to BJP.

Strongest critic of the Narendra Modi government for its various decisions, NDTV will sell its 40 per cent share to Ajay Singh, co-founder and owner of SpiceJet who was part of the BJP’s 2014 poll campaign, says The Indian Express. Promoters of the channel senior journalist Prannoy Roy and his wife Radhika Roy will have 20 per cent share. Public shareholding in the company stands at around 40 per cent.’

According to The Indian Express which has quoted an unknown source in the channel, Singh, who was OSD of former BJP leader and Cabinet minister Pramod Mahajan, will take control of NDTV along with editorial rights. The total deal is valued at around Rs 600 crore.

However, while SpiceJet has rubbished the report when contacted by the daily, NDTV did not respond to its query.

Recently, CBI had conducted raids at the NDTV promoters for alleged tax evasion. However, the channel had termed the raid as attack on free press.

In various programs, especially its Prime Time hosted by famous journalist Ravish Kumar, the channel would boldly raise public-interest issues when most of other channels were busy in government propaganda or shallow, diversionary issues.