A Gujarat court denied bail to The Hindu journalist Mahesh Langa, accused of GST fraud involving Rs 44 crore in transactions with Dhruvi Enterprises. The court cited Langa’s active role in the alleged tax-evasion conspiracy and potential risk of evidence tampering. The case remains under investigation, with the court underscoring the offense’s severity against national revenue interests.
Gujarat: In a recent decision, a Gujarat court denied bail to Mahesh Langa, a journalist with The Hindu, who faces allegations related to Goods and Services Tax (GST) fraud. The order was issued by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Manish V Chauhan, who cited the seriousness of the case and Langa’s alleged involvement in a conspiracy to evade income tax and GST.
The case, Mahesdan Prabhudan Langa v. Government of Gujarat, alleges that Langa was involved in fraudulent financial activities in coordination with Dhruvi Enterprises to obtain bogus Input Tax Credits (ITCs). The court’s order details transactions amounting to nearly Rs 44 crore, which reportedly led to a substantial loss to the national treasury.
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While denying bail, Magistrate Chauhan stated,
“The accused Maheshdan Prabhudan Langa, along with the co-accused, formed a criminal conspiracy against the Income Tax and GST.”
According to the court’s October 25 order, Langa’s actions involved coordinating with Dhruvi Enterprises as its manager, through which he allegedly carried out financial transactions amounting to Rs 43,35,949/- in bogus input credits. This, according to the magistrate, caused “loss of crores of rupees to the nation’s income.”
The court emphasized that these fraudulent activities represented a serious offense, further underlined by Langa’s alleged role in the conspiracy.
“On perusal of the case papers it is found during the investigation that the applicant/accused in this case has played an active role in the crime,”
the order stated. The judge expressed concerns that granting bail could lead to potential tampering with evidence, as the investigation remains ongoing.
The court’s order also noted Langa’s connections to a firm named ‘DA Enterprise,’ in which he reportedly made his wife, Kavitaben Langa, a partner. The court observed that this arrangement was created with the “intention of evading taxes and causing damage to the government.” The court considered this aspect as additional evidence of Langa’s alleged financial misconduct and reluctance to comply with tax regulations.
Following his arrest on October 8, Langa filed a plea with the Gujarat High Court, challenging the magistrate’s remand order. However, the plea was withdrawn on October 14, leaving the court’s remand order unchallenged.
The denial of bail underlines the Gujarat court’s firm stance on alleged economic offenses, particularly those affecting national revenue through fraudulent GST activities. With this decision, the court signals the importance of maintaining the integrity of the financial system and the consequences of attempts to exploit it.
The ongoing investigation will likely bring further scrutiny on Langa and any associated individuals or entities, as authorities probe deeper into the financial transactions and alleged conspiracy. With the case set to continue, the developments underscore the serious approach the judiciary is taking in tackling alleged large-scale financial fraud.
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