The Gujarat High Court has rejected journalist Mahesh Langa’s petition seeking the quashing of an FIR lodged against him for allegedly possessing confidential government documents.

On Monday, February 17, the court ruled that the case was still in its early stages and declined to intervene at this juncture, Bar and Bench reported.

A single-judge bench of Justice Divyesh A. Joshi, while delivering the verdict, stated, “From the material collected by the investigating officer during the course of investigation, prima facie involvement of the petitioner in commission of crime is made out. Moreover, the investigation is at a nascent stage and it would not be proper on the part of this Court to exercise its inherent powers in favour of the petitioner at this stage. In view of the aforesaid discussion, the petition being devoid of merits, stands dismissed. Notice discharged.”

Langa, a journalist with The Hindu, was booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Prevention of Corruption Act after the Gujarat Maritime Board’s (GMB) confidential documents were allegedly found in his possession.

He has been charged with criminal breach of trust and theft by a clerk, among other offences.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Langa, argued that his client was not named in the original FIR and was arrested based on mere assumptions. He pointed out that no GMB official had been arrested in connection with the case, raising concerns about selective action against the journalist.

Despite these arguments, the court upheld that a prima facie case was established and dismissed the plea.

Langa was already in judicial custody in another case when this FIR was registered.

The Gujarat Police’s action against Langa has drawn strong condemnation from journalists' associations, who have denounced the move as an attack on press freedom.