The court has denied the bail application of Mahesh Langa, a ‘journalist’ from The Hindu accused of a multi-crore GST scam. On Friday, October 25, the Ahmedabad Metropolitan Court ruled on Langa’s application. He is currently in Sabarmati Jail in Ahmedabad. The Crime Branch opposed Langa’s bail application in court, arguing that further investigation is required. They stated that granting bail could interfere with the ongoing investigation.
Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate MV Chauhan rejected Langa’s bail application and issued an order. The District Crime Branch (DCB), which apprehended Langa and the other accused, argued that the investigation is ongoing. In its written statement, DCB stated that several ‘confidential documents’ were found at Langa’s residence, which are under examination. They added that if Langa were granted bail, he might contact individuals connected to these documents, potentially hindering the investigation.
Additionally, the DCB provided details of the case to the court, revealing that Langa allegedly conspired with the owners of Dhruvi Enterprises to evade ‘taxes and GST.’ It was further alleged that Langa obtained a GST number using forged documents and conducted transactions worth ₹43.35 lakh with Dhruvi Enterprises. According to the Crime Branch, Langa created DA Enterprise in his wife’s name to evade taxes, and ₹20 lakh found in his residence was allegedly earned through tax evasion.
On October 8, the Crime Branch arrested Mahesh Langa as part of the GST scam investigation. The DCB informed the court that over 200 illegally formed companies and organizations nationwide, working in a coordinated manner, were involved in this scam by taking advantage of fake Input Tax Credits (ITC). So far, 14 people have been arrested in this case, including ‘journalist’ Mahesh Langa.
Additional FIR for Leaking Government Documents in Gandhinagar
Earlier this week, Gandhinagar Police filed another FIR against Langa, alleging he possessed and leaked confidential government documents related to the Gujarat Maritime Board. Investigations revealed that Langa exploited his position as a journalist to obtain government documents and later passed them to others. As per reports, Langa faces charges under Sections 303(2), 306, 316(5), 61(2) of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 7(A), 8(1), 12, 13(1), and 12(2) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. It is anticipated that the police may seek his custody in this case as well.
