It seems the media outlet ‘The Hindu’ is going through tough times. Even before the row over Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan and his PR ‘interview’ with the Hindu had died down, the publication got marred with another major controversy. This time, involving its journalist Mahesh Langa, who is currently behind bars in a GST fraud case. It is also alleged that he was connected with some government IAS-IPS officers who used to pass him sensitive information which he then reportedly used to deliver to opposition parties and industrial groups.
The development started earlier this month when Mahesh Langa along with six others were arrested by the Ahmedabad crime branch. The action was based on a complaint that was made by the Central GST department after which multiple raids were made in several locations including Ahmedabad, Junagadh, Kheda, and Bhavnagar.
While the Enforcement Directorate has also joined the probe in the GST fraud case, the crime branch so far has seized Rs 20 lakhs, gold jewelry, and land documents from Langa’s premise. It is suspected that there are multiple people involved in this case.
The crime branch received information indicating that 220 fake companies were involved in fraud through counterfeit input tax credits, utilizing forged identities and documents to evade taxes. These dubious transactions employed fake billing, false documentation, and misrepresentation to defraud the government of millions of rupees. Langa’s family was allegedly involved, with documents from fake firms linked to his father and wife.
To get a clear picture regarding the investigation, the police detained and filed several cases against Mahesh Langa following which he approached the Gujarat High Court and challenged his arrest. However, he went on to withdraw his petition within days which prompted the judge to reprimand him and give a stern warning for wasting the court’s time.
Langa claimed that he was only arrested in connection with DA Enterprises, one of the 220 companies involved, whose owners include his cousin’s brother. However, the crime branch’s report indicated that Langa was operating behind the scenes, engaging in fraudulent activities through his brother.
A shocking picture came when it was revealed that many senior IAS and IPS officials are in connection with Mahesh Langa and because of this they are also under scanner. This revelation has pointed out that confidential information may have been shared with opposition parties through journalist networks.
Mahesh Langa is being interrogated by the Ahmedabad Police Commissioner GS Malik. During the interrogation, it was revealed that Mahesh Langa’s family was too involved in this fraud. Langa’s wife was made a partner in DA Enterprises, suggesting deeper involvement in the fraud.
Despite this, the police have asserted that Langa was managing operations behind the scenes under the names of relatives, calling into question the newspaper’s defense of him.
Nonetheless, The Hindu newspaper labeled Langa as a fearless journalist while coming out in his defense. Interestingly, The Hindu seems to be repeatedly embroiled in controversies. Not long ago, it blamed its reporter Shobhana K Nair for inaccuracies in an interview with Chief Minister Vijayan. The interview included contentious remarks about gold smuggling and money laundering in Malappuram, which were later retracted by the Chief Minister’s office. The fallout from this interview led to the newspaper issuing clarifications and facing backlash from opposition parties. Now, with Langa’s arrest, questions arise about the credibility of a newspaper often recommended for UPSC preparation, marking a concerning moment for the media industry.
The Hindu found itself embroiled in controversy following an interview with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The newspaper published the interview, from which the Chief Minister later denied certain excerpts. In response, the newspaper claimed that those excerpts were provided by a PR company representing the Chief Minister. Vijayan, however, refuted this, stating that he had not hired any PR agency. While this controversy was still unfolding, journalist Mahesh Langa from The Hindu was arrested in connection with a GST fraud case, leading to further embarrassment for the media organization.