A Gujarat court has denied bail to Mahesh Langa, a The Hindu correspondent, in the alleged Goods and Services Tax (GST) fraud case. While hearing the case, Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Manish V Chauhan observed that the investigation underway discloses that Langa had played an active role in the commission of the offence and had hatched a conspiracy with other co-accused to evade income tax and GST.

The journalist is alleged to have been engaged in exploiting his position by blackmailing, settlements, and  illegal businesses, reportedly collecting millions. The police have booked the journalist with back to back cases including the allegations of possessing classified documents and duping businessman. However, media bodies had condemned the Gujarat police action for initiating cases against the journalist just for merely possessing confidential documents. A statement issued by the Press Club of India recently stated that it was shocking that the mere possession of documents can be used by the state to register an FIR. The FIR had alleged recovering of incriminating documents of the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB) from the journalist’ possession during its raids.

Read Also: Journalists’ Bodies Raise Concern Over FIR Against Mahesh Langa

A third FIR was registered by Ahmedabad crime branch against the on October 29, accusing him 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.

Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police GS Malik told that the journalist duped a businessman of Rs 28.68 lakh, and when the complainant sought his money back, Langa allegedly warned him, noting that he can damage his business through negative media coverage as he has enough influence.

Read Also: Amid GST Fraud Case, Journalist Mahesh Langa Booked For ‘Possession Of Confidential Documents’