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India
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday arrested Gujarat-based journalist Mahesh Langa in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged financial fraud.
Officials confirmed that he was taken into custody and presented before a special Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) court in Ahmedabad, which remanded him to ED custody until February 28.
Background of the Case
The money laundering probe originates from two FIRs registered by the Ahmedabad Police on charges of fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, and cheating. Authorities claim that Langa’s financial transactions caused wrongful losses amounting to lakhs of rupees.
Langa, a journalist associated with The Hindu, has denied the allegations through his legal representatives.
ED’s Allegations
According to the ED, Langa was allegedly involved in fraudulent financial dealings, including what the agency described as “extortion” and the misuse of his media influence for personal gain. Investigators have also linked him to an alleged GST Input Tax Credit scam, which is currently under probe.
“Langa has attempted to manipulate and obscure the true nature of financial transactions involved in cheating and the GST Input Tax Credit scam,” an ED official stated. The agency further alleged that inconsistencies in his financial statements raised suspicions about his attempts to conceal the source and usage of funds.
The ED sought Langa’s custody to further investigate his financial records, digital transactions, and any potential accomplices. His lawyer, however, has dismissed the accusations as “baseless” and “politically motivated.”
