Media bodies slam journalist Langa's arrest, term it 'overreach'

Media organisations on Thursday expressed concern over the arrest and ten-day custody of journalist Mahesh Langa by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch, terming his interrogation a “procedural overreach”.

In a joint statement, Press Club of India, Delhi Union of Journalists, Indian Women's Press Corps and Press Association said his questioning was “perhaps” a means to harass an individual whose name doesn't even feature in the primary FIR.

Langa, arrested for his alleged involvement in a GST evasion case, is a “well- known and fearless journalist” with a career of employment in many reputed publications.

“His reports on developments related to Gujarat have been widely appreciated,” the press bodies said.

They said, according to available details, Langa is neither the director nor a promoter of the company that finds mention in the FIR filed on the complaint of the Directorate General of GST Intelligence Unit, Ahmedabad, and no transaction and signature was found in his name.

“Even as the law should be allowed to take its own course, we feel that the custodial interrogation of Mahesh Langa is a procedural overreach and perhaps a means to harass an individual whose name doesn't even feature in the primary FIR,” they said.

“Whereas getting to the bottom of the issue is important, we feel that due process should not be compromised and accused persons not unduly harassed under the pretext of extended custodial interrogation,” they added.

The Ahmedabad Crime Branch on Tuesday arrested Langa, a senior journalist in Gujarat.

On Monday, the city Crime Branch registered an FIR against several persons and entities after getting a complaint from central GST over an alleged scam involving shell firms set up to defraud the government through bogus input tax credit and fraudulent transactions, a release by the Crime Branch said.