The Supreme Court has sought the response of the Gujarat government and the Enforcement Directorate on journalist Mahesh Langa’s petition seeking bail in a money laundering case linked to an alleged financial fraud.

A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi issued a notice on Langa’s plea challenging denial of bail by the Gujarat High Court but also asked what kind of a journalist he was.

“What kind of a journalist he is? People are coming with accounts and affidavits,” the bench asked senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for the petitioner, according to Bar and Bench. “With due respect, there are some very genuine journalists. But there are also people who on their scooter say we are ‘patrakar’ (journalist) and what they actually do everybody knows,” the court told Sibal, according to news agency PTI.

However, Sibal said these were all allegations. “In one FIR, he gets anticipatory bail, then a second FIR is lodged and again anticipatory bail is granted but now he is booked under third FIR for income tax evasion. There are other things also against him,” Sibal submitted.

Sibal also pointed to the background of the case.

On July 31, the Gujarat High Court had rejected Langa’s bail plea in the money laundering case on the grounds that if released on bail, prejudice would be caused to the prosecution case.

On February 25, the ED said it arrested Langa in a money laundering investigation linked to an alleged financial fraud. He was first arrested in October 2024 in a GST fraud case.

The money laundering case against Langa stems from two FIRs filed by Ahmedabad Police on charges of fraud, criminal misappropriation, criminal breach of trust, cheating and causing wrongful loss of lakhs of rupees to certain people.

Newslaundry has reported in detail on the case and the allegations against Langa. Read this to understand the story behind the journalist’s arrest.

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