Gujarat Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To Journalist Mahesh Langa In Alleged Extortion Case

A Sessions Court in Ahmedabad on Tuesday (February 11) granted anticipatory bail to journalist Mahesh Langa in connection with an FIR registered by the city's Satellite Police Station for alleged extortion of Rs. 40 Lakh.Langa is at present in judicial custody in connection with a case pertaining to alleged GST fraud. Additional Sessions Judge Ahmedabad (Rural) Dipen Dilipkumar Buddhdev in his order observed that the offence alleged against Langa carries maximum imprisonment of upto seven years and is triable by Magistrate's court. It thereafter said: “It is pertinent to note here that the present applicant-accused is already in judicial custody since 27.11.2024 in connection with the offences registered under the GST Act and the present FIR was lodged on 23.01.2025. However, there is nothing on record to suggest that in order to carry out investigation in connection with the present offence, custody of the present applicant-accused was sought by the investigating agency through transfer warrant. So far as free and fair investigation is concerned, it can be done by imposing suitable conditions upon present applicant-accused. Hence, without going into the merits of the case and considering the allegations levelled against the present applicant-accused, this Court is of the considered opinion that present bail application deserves to be allowed and accordingly following final order is passed, in the interest of justice". The court granted Langa anticipatory bail while ordering that he shall remain present before the concerned IO within 15 days upon his release on bail.The complaint was filed for the offences alleged under Section 308(2) (Extortion) BNS by a land broker who met Langa a year and a half ago at a coffee shop. It was alleged that Langa assured the complainant to complete land brokerage deals and securing good returns and on this pretext Langa obtained Rs. 20 Lakh. It was alleged that Langa threatened the complainant in connection with some land brokerage transaction by publishing false articles against him in the newspaper and also defaming him in the society and, thereby, extorted Rs. 20 Lakh. It was alleged that Langa extorted a total of Rs. 40 Lakhs from the complainant that led to the registration of FIR.Langa' counsel contended that he is falsely implicated and that the FIR was an abuse of process of law and no offence is made out against Langa. He further contended that Langa has never dealt as a land broker or he had received any money while dealing with such lands with the complainant and no specific instance was cited in the FIR. Therefore, bald statements are made to justify clever drafting. He then argued that there is no mention regarding the money demanded from the complainant and there is no money trail alleged in the FIR. Further, he contended that no preliminary inquiry was conducted prior to registration of FIR and there was no recovery Rs.40 Lakh from Langa. The Counsel then contended that ingredients of extortion is not satisfied against Langa and there is lack of documentary evidence. It was submitted that the police officers raided Langa's house in connection with offences of claiming input tax credit under GST and at that time, Rs.20,00,000/- were recovered by the police from his house and only to justify the allegations of illegality in earlier FIR, the present FIR is registered and one after another, bogus cases are registered against Langa.The State's Counsel vehemently opposed the bail application on account of gravity and seriousness of the offence. He then contended that witness statements establish a money trail, and the complainant's criminal history does not in any manner lessen the allegations. He then argued that seven offences are registered against Langa and his custody is essential for a fair investigation. The court while granting anticipatory bail further said, "In the event of his/her/their arrest, the applicant(s)-accused shall be released on bail by the concerned Investigating Officer on furnishing a surety bond(s) in sum of Rs.15,000/- (Fifteen Thousand Only) with one surety of like amount to the satisfaction of concerned Investigating Officer/in Charge of concerned Police Station" subject to certain conditions. Case Title: Maheshdan Prabhudan Langa vs State of GujaratCase Number: Cr.MA/ 315 of 2025Click Here To Read/Download Order

Gujarat Court Grants Anticipatory Bail To Journalist Mahesh Langa In Alleged Extortion Case

Lovina B Thakkar

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