Latest news with #MaheshPrabhudanLanga
NDTV
22-04-2025
- NDTV
Probe Agency ED Files Complaint Against Journalist Mahesh Langa In Laundering Case
Ahmedabad: The Enforcement Directorate (ED), Ahmedabad Zonal Office, has filed a prosecution complaint against journalist Mahesh Prabhudan Langa under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA), 2002. The complaint was submitted before the Special Court (PMLA), Ahmedabad, on April 17. The court took cognisance of the matter on the same day. The ED shared this information through a press statement issued on Monday. The ED initiated a money laundering investigation based on an FIR lodged at the Detection of Crime Branch (DCB) police station, Ahmedabad City. The FIR accused Mr Langa of cheating and criminal breach of trust. In addition to this, another FIR was filed against him by the Satellite Police Station, Ahmedabad, for extortion. Following these developments, Mr Langa was arrested under Section 19 of the PMLA by the ED and is currently in judicial custody. The ED's investigation has revealed that Mr Langa allegedly misused his position and media connections to extort money from individuals. According to the agency, he threatened to publish defamatory news articles about the complainants unless they paid him large sums of money. This alleged form of media manipulation formed the basis of his extortion tactics, resulting in financial losses amounting to several lakhs of rupees for multiple individuals, the ED said. Further investigation led the ED to establish a money trail linked to the proceeds of crime allegedly generated by Mr Langa, the agency said in the statement. On April 9, the agency issued a provisional attachment order to seize assets believed to have been acquired through illicit means. The attached asset includes an immovable property -- an office space located in Ahmedabad, Gujarat. The case has drawn significant public and media attention, especially given Mr Langa's role as a journalist associated with a national publication.
Indian Express
21-04-2025
- Indian Express
ED files prosecution complainant against journalist Langa under PMLA
The Ahmedabad zonal office of the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday said it filed a prosecution complaint (PC) against journalist Mahesh Prabhudan Langa under the provisions of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) before a PMLA special court in the city on April 17. The court took cognizance of the PC on the same day. In a statement on Monday, the ED said that it had initiated an investigation against Langa on the basis of an FIR registered by the Detection of Crime (DCB) police station of the Ahmedabad city police for cheating and criminal breach of trust. Further, another FIR was registered against Langa by Satellite police station, Ahmedabad for extortion. Subsequently, Langa was arrested under Section 19 of the PMLA by the central agency in the matter and is currently in judicial custody. The agency, in a statement, said, 'The investigation revealed that Mahesh Prabhudan Langa is involved in cheating and extortion of money by leveraging his alleged connections in the media. He threatened to tarnish the Complainants' reputations by publishing defamatory news articles unless they paid him large sums of money. This form of media manipulation was found central to his extortion activities, which caused an undue loss to the tune lakhs of rupees to various individuals.' Accordingly, the ED conducted a probe, which, it said, established the trail of proceeds of crime generated by Langa, and the same was attached vide provisional attachment order dated April 9. The assets include immovable property in the form of an office, located in Ahmedabad. On October 29 last year, Ahmedabad CP G S Malik had said that Langa had been booked for alleged cheating and criminal intimidation. The complaint was lodged by one Pranay Shah, the owner of Khushi Advertising, who had given Langa money in exchange for services besides paying him for a party for his wife Kavita Langa, Malik had said. Shah had stated that he was duped of Rs 28,68,250. The other case was lodged at Satellite police station on January 23 this year based on a complaint by Janak Arjun Thakor, 32, a farmer and land broker and a resident of Daskroi taluka. Langa was booked for allegedly extorting Rs 40 lakh from Thakor. Since October 7 last year, Langa has been the subject of investigation in seven cases — of which FIRs have been lodged with the Gujarat Police in five, and two are being investigated by the ED.
