The Ahmedabad crime branch has registered another First Information Report (FIR) against The Hindu ‘journalist’ Mahesh Langa on 29th October. He is accused of cheating a businessman out of Rs 28 lakhs. The police booked him based on a complaint by an Ahmedabad-based businessman who runs an advertising company. Langa is currently lodged in Sabarmati Jail after his bail was denied in a GST (Goods and Services Tax) fraud case. Meanwhile, Ahmedabad police have initiated a probe into the latest case. He is now the subject of three FIRs, two of which are filed by Ahmedabad police and one by Gandhinagar police.
The police have booked him under sections 316(2) and 318(4) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). OpIndia has a copy of the FIR. According to the complaint, the businessman has years of experience in advertising and frequently places ads in publications. He met Langa in a cafe a few months back who befriended him by claiming to be acquainted with powerful individuals. The latter added that he has great political influence and also contacts in many newspapers. He also promised the complainant to print positive news about his company and customers in the newspapers. The two then developed a friendship and started to communicate via phone.
The FIR further unveiled that Langa called the complainant a while back to inform him about a business named “DA Enterprises” that was founded in the name of his wife and brother. He also mentioned that he was trying to get an office for another business called “Nisarg Enterprises.” He then informed him that he had seen an office close to Bodakdev and wanted to purchase it. Langa told the complainant that he must pay by check to buy the property and he can transfer the funds to his wife’s account provided the latter issues him with a bank entry from another business. He also offered cash in return. The complainant trusted him and transferred Rs 9,90,000 from his company’s account to another friend’s company account on 16th March which was later deposited to Langa’s account.
On 6th June the complainant sent Rs 12,87,000 to Langa’s account in the same manner who told him that he had bought an office where he is working for “Nisarg Enterprise” but he never brought up the matter of returning the money. He initially claimed to have cash and assured to pay him but didn’t act on his words. Two months after embezzling the money for the office, in the first week of September, Langa told the complainant that his wife Kavita Langa’s birthday was on 27th September and he needed a banquet hall to throw a party for friends. He then asked him to look for a place. The latter again helped him and found two to three halls out of which he chose the ‘Jade’ banquet hall.
Langa even directed him to shell out funds for the place and its decoration among other things. He again declared that he would give the amount in cash to the complainant on the birthday. The latter trusted him yet again and spent Rs 5,18,250 on the hall and Rs 50,000 on decorations. However, Langa did not give him any money on the birthday. The complainant sought reimbursement of the entire money totalling Rs 28,68,250, a few days after the occurrence. However, Langa threatened to spoil the reputation of the companies of his clients by doing negative coverage of them in the media. He added that he would destroy the complainant’s business by using his political network if he went to the cops to file a complaint against him.
The complainant disclosed to OpIndia that Langa had intimidated him, purporting to have great political influence and ties to high-ranking people. He claimed to share good relationship with journalists and newspapers. Therefore, releasing unfavourable news about his clients will result in significant losses. He expressed that he became afraid and stopped asking for money after Langa threatened him. However, the ‘journalist’ was caught by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch within a few days of the incident and he chose to approach the police after learning that Rs 20 lakh in cash had been recovered at his home. “Mahesh had the cash. He could have given it to me if he wanted. But I did not get the money. So this is a case of betrayal and fraud. Then we decided to lodge an FIR,” he explained.
The Ahmedabad Crime Branch has opened an inquiry and filed a formal complaint against Langa in response to his complaint. A GST fraud case has already been launched against him. Although Langa’s name was not there in it initially, his role came to light during the investigation. Later, an FIR was registered in Gandhinagar in connection with the leak of some documents related to the Gujarat Maritime Board. However, the police have not yet arrested him in the other two cases.
