ED arrests Gujarat-based journalist Mahesh Langa. What's the financial fraud case against him?
Mahesh Langa, a Gujarat-based journalist for The Hindu, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate for money laundering and financial fraud.
The Enforcement Directorate on Tuesday arrested Mahesh Langa, a Gujarat-based senior journalist, in a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged financial fraud.
Mahesh Langa, who is a correspondent for The Hindu newspaper in Gujarat, was taken into custody and produced before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) Court in Ahmedabad, the probe agency said in a statement. The court granted four-day ED custody till February 28, it said.
What's the case against Mahesh Langa?
According to the ED, the federal probe agency initiated an investigation based on an FIR registered by the deputy commissioner of police in Ahmedabad against Maheshbhai Langa and others for cheating and criminal breach of trust.
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During the investigation, it was found that another FIR was filed by Satellite Police Station, Ahmedabad, against Maheshbhai Langa for committing fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating and causing wrongful loss of lakhs of rupees to the concerned persons, the ED statement said.
“ED investigation revealed that Mahesh Prabhudan Langa was found to have engaged in multiple fraudulent financial transactions involving large sums of money. Mahesh Prabhudan Langa’s financial dealings involved extortion from various individuals, constant manipulation, and use of media influence,” the ED said.
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The probe agency said the journalist is also involved in ‘GST Input Tax Credit scam’, which is also under investigation by the ED.
Mahesh Langa, according to the ED, has tried to manipulate and “obscure the true nature of financial transactions involved in cheating and GST Input Tax Credit scam”.
“The inconsistencies in his statement raised further suspicion about his attempts to hide the origins and purpose of the utilization of funds,” the agency added.
Langa's lawyer had earlier denied the charges made against him. He was earlier arrested by the Gujarat Police.
