“Undermine Journalistic Work”: The Hindu Editor On FIR Against Mahesh Langa (Facebook image @Mahesh Langa)
The Hindu’s editor, Suresh Nambath, has criticised the Gujarat police for filing a second FIR against senior assistant editor Mahesh Langa. In a statement, Nambath condemned the move as an attempt to undermine journalistic work and called for the charges to be dropped.
The latest FIR, registered on 22 October at the Sector 7 police station in Gandhinagar, accuses Langa of possessing confidential documents linked to the Gujarat Maritime Board (GMB). Nambath expressed concern that journalists need to access such documents to pursue stories in the public interest and warned that the case sets a dangerous precedent for press freedom.
“Journalists are required to process documents, even confidential ones, in the line of duty. Filing charges against them for such possession undermines their fundamental rights and public interest,” Nambath said. He urged the Gujarat police to withdraw the charges immediately.
Also Read: Amid GST Fraud Case, Journalist Mahesh Langa Booked For ‘Possession Of Confidential Documents’
Langa, who works from Ahmedabad, was already in judicial custody in a separate case involving alleged Goods and Services Tax (GST) evasion. Police claim that the confidential documents were found during his arrest in connection with the GST fraud investigation. However, Gandhinagar Superintendent of Police Ravi Teja Vasamsetty declined to reveal the exact section under which the FIR was filed, categorising the case as “sensitive.”
The authorities searched the Gujarat Maritime Board office on Tuesday to trace the source of the document leak. Vasamsetty confirmed that Langa is currently the sole accused in the case, stating, “We are trying to determine how he obtained those documents.”
Langa was initially taken into custody on 8 October along with three others after multiple police units, including the Crime Branch and Special Operations Group, raided 14 locations across Gujarat. His arrest, linked to an alleged input tax credit fraud involving 13 companies, sparked criticism from journalism organisations, which described the ten-day police remand as “judicial overreach”.
Also Read: Journalists React To New Charges Against Mahesh Langa
The GST case alleges that fake invoices were used to set up over 220 benami firms, causing significant financial losses to the government. Police recovered cash, gold, and land documents during the raids, and several individuals, including local politicians’ relatives, have been implicated.
The Hindu editor had earlier clarified that Langa’s arrest in the GST case was unrelated to his published reports. Nambath called for a fair investigation and warned against targeting journalists for their work.
Langa, known for critical reporting on state and central governments, withdrew a legal challenge against his remand during a hearing in the Gujarat High Court. His arrest has sparked widespread concerns about press freedom and potential misuse of state power.
