The Crossbill News Desk
Senior journalist Mahesh Langa, currently in judicial custody for an alleged GST evasion case, has been booked again by the Gujarat police, this time for allegedly possessing confidential government documents.
Langa, who serves as the senior assistant editor at The Hindu, was arrested on October 10 by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in connection with claims of involvement in a nexus of companies that allegedly evaded Goods and Services Tax. However, The Wire has been previously reported that Langa’s name was not mentioned in the FIR related to this case.
According to his lawyer, Vedanta Rajguru, Langa had no formal association with DA Enterprise, the company named in the FIR, as he was neither a director nor a promoter of the firm.
According to a report by The Indian Express, quoting Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Ravi Teja Vasamsetty, Langa is now facing additional charges related to the possession of documents concerning the Gujarat Maritime Board.
The SP declined to specify under which legal provisions Langa had been charged, stating only that the documents were discovered during his arrest in the GST investigation. Langa is reportedly the sole accused in this new case.
Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch has arrested five more individuals on October 22 in connection with the GST evasion racket, which allegedly involves around 220 shell companies, many based in Gujarat.
Langa has challenged his 10-day police remand in the Gujarat High Court, describing his arrest as politically motivated. However, on October 14, he withdrew his petition during the plea hearing.
His detention has raised concerns within the media community, with numerous journalists attesting to his integrity. Some have also noted Langa's recent report on the impact of the ban on Russian-origin diamonds on Gujarat’s diamond industry, further fueling speculation about the motives behind his arrest.
Langa, who serves as the senior assistant editor at The Hindu, was arrested on October 10 by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch in connection with claims of involvement in a nexus of companies that allegedly evaded Goods and Services Tax. However, The Wire has been previously reported that Langa’s name was not mentioned in the FIR related to this case.
According to his lawyer, Vedanta Rajguru, Langa had no formal association with DA Enterprise, the company named in the FIR, as he was neither a director nor a promoter of the firm.
According to a report by The Indian Express, quoting Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Ravi Teja Vasamsetty, Langa is now facing additional charges related to the possession of documents concerning the Gujarat Maritime Board.
The SP declined to specify under which legal provisions Langa had been charged, stating only that the documents were discovered during his arrest in the GST investigation. Langa is reportedly the sole accused in this new case.
Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad Crime Branch has arrested five more individuals on October 22 in connection with the GST evasion racket, which allegedly involves around 220 shell companies, many based in Gujarat.
Langa has challenged his 10-day police remand in the Gujarat High Court, describing his arrest as politically motivated. However, on October 14, he withdrew his petition during the plea hearing.
His detention has raised concerns within the media community, with numerous journalists attesting to his integrity. Some have also noted Langa's recent report on the impact of the ban on Russian-origin diamonds on Gujarat’s diamond industry, further fueling speculation about the motives behind his arrest.
Comments (0)
Leave a Comment