Journalist bodies have expressed concern at the arrest of The Hindu’s Gujarat correspondent Mahesh Langa by the Ahmedabad Crime Branch for his alleged involvement in an alleged GST evasion case.
“Mahesh Langa 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,” said a joint statement by the Press Club of India, Delhi Union of Journalists, Indian Women’s Press Corps, and the Press Association.
The journalist bodies said according to the available details, Mr. Langa was neither the director nor a promoter of the company that found mention in the First Information Report registered based on a complaint from the Directorate General of GST Intelligence Unit, Ahmedabad.
“No transaction and signature was reportedly found in the journalist’s 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,” said the statement.
It added: “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.”
Published - October 10, 2024 08:10 pm IST
