Guwahati: In a development that has raised questions about media transparency, a 2013 news story published by The Times of India (TOI) concerning the suspension of an Indian Revenue Service (IRS) officer has been removed from its website.
The officer, Anish Gupta, was recently appointed to a special investigation team (SIT) by the Supreme Court of India to probe the affairs of the Vantara, also known as the Greens Zoological, Rescue and Rehabilitation Centre, in Jamnagar, Gujarat.
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The original TOI article, headlined “Senior customs officer suspended for graft,” was published on August 27, 2013.
It reported the suspension of Anish Gupta, a 2009-batch IRS officer who was then serving as an assistant commissioner of Customs in Mumbai.
The suspension came after allegations that he had demanded a bribe of Rs 2 crore from a paper importer to clear a consignment. The demanded amount was reportedly later reduced to Rs 50 lakh.
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The removal of the article from the TOI website came on August 29, two days after Northeast Now published a news story on August 27, 2025, pointing out that one of the members of the newly formed SIT—Additional Commissioner of Customs Anish Gupta—had a history of being suspended on graft charges. The Northeast Now news story cited the very same 2013 TOI report.
Now, when one attempts to access the original TOI link, they are redirected to a completely unrelated story titled “2 held with hydroponic weed worth Rs 24 crore at Lucknow airport.” However, a search on Google News still shows the headline of the original article, along with a screenshot, as evidence of its existence.
The Supreme Court on August 25, 2025, constituted the four-member SIT, led by former apex court judge Jasti Chelameswar, to investigate allegations against Vantara. The project is managed by Anant Ambani, the youngest son of Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh Ambani. The SIT also includes former high court judge Raghavendra Chauhan and former Mumbai Police Commissioner Hemant Nagrale.
Anish Gupta’s inclusion in this high-profile team has generated significant public attention, particularly in light of his past. With allegations of demanding a bribe of Rs 2 crore, later reportedly reduced to Rs 50 lakh, the Northeast Now story highlighted concerns about Gupta’s “moral authority” and his ability to conduct a transparent investigation into a case of this magnitude.
An email sent to TOI seeking clarification on the removal of the 2013 story has, to date, remained unanswered.